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FROM  THE  LIBRARY  OF 
ANNE  LEACH  TURNER 


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THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  DATP 
INDICATED  BELOW  AND  IS  SUR 
JECT  TO  AN  OVERDUE  FNEA^ 
POfJED    AT    THE    CIRCULATION 


SOUTHERN    GARDENER'S 
PRACTICAL  MANUAL 


J.  S.  Newman 


SOUTHER!^  GARDENER'S 
PRACTICAL  MANUAL 


BY 

J.    S.    NEWMAN 

Author  of  "  Farmer's  Scientific  Manual,"  "  Manual  on  Cattle,"  "  Manual  of  Sheep  husbandry,"  "  Manual 
on  the  Hog,"  and  "Manual  on  Poultry,"  prepared  for  and  published  by  the  Georgia  State  Department 
of  Agriculture.     For  eight  years  Professor  of  Agriculture,  including  Horticulture  and  Animal 
Industry,  in  the  Alabama  Polytechnic  Institute,  and  Director  of  the  Alabama  State 
Experiment  Station.    Late  Professor  of  Agriculture  and  Director  of  the  Agri- 
cultural Department  of  Clemson  Agricultural  College  of  South  Caro- 
lina.    Agriculturist  and  X'ice-Director  of  the  State  Experi- 
ment Station,  and  Director  of  Farmers'  Institutes. 


PUBLISHED   BY   THE   AUTHOR 
1906 


Copyright,  1906 
By    J.    S.    NEWMAN 


J.  Horace  McFarland  Company 
Harrisburg    •    Pennsylvania 


PREFACE 

Since  White's  "Gardening  for  the  South,"  first 
published  in  1856,  there  has  been  no  work  which 
furnished  a  reliable,  practical  guide  to  the  southern 
gardener.  There  are  works  which  treat  instructively 
of  the  scientific  principles  involved  in  the  art  of  gar- 
dening. There  are  others  which,  emanating  from  the 
northern  states,  are  valuable  for  that  section  of  our 
country,  but,  owing  to  variations  of  soil  and  climatic  con- 
ditions, they  possess  little  value  as  a  guide  to  the  southern 
gardener.  The  object  of  this  w^ork  is  to  furnish  a  reli- 
able, practical  guide  to  those  who  desire  to  avail  them- 
selves of  the  wonderful  facilities  afforded  by  our  sunny 
Southland  for  supplying  the  family  table  with  fresh  vege- 
tables from  the  kitchen -garden  every  day  in  the  year. 

Fifty  years  of  successful  experience  in  gardening  and 
fruit-growing  on  both  a  domestic  and  a  commercial 
scale,  inspires  some  measure  of  confidence  in  my  ability 
and  right  to  speak  ex  cathedra  on  the  subject. 

During  an  official  life  of  thirty  years,  in  close  touch 
with  the  tillers  of  the  soil,  and  through  a  voluminous 
correspondence,  covering  answers  to  letters  of  inquiry 
from  farmers  and  horticulturists,  I  have  been  impressed 
with  the  need  of  a  work  of  the  character  of  the  one  now 
attempted.  While  it  is  undertaken  with  many  misgiv- 
ings as  to  my  ability  to  adequately  supply  the  demand, 

(v) 


vi  Preface 

the  earnest  appeals  of  mauy  friends  to  leave  to  the 
millions  of  southern  toilers  the  lessons  learned  during 
a  half  centur\'  of  study,  experiment  and  experience  as  a 
devotee  to  the  art  of  horticulture,  encourage  me  to 
make  an  effort  to  leave  some  guiding  "footprints  on  the 
sands  of  time." 

Believing  that  a  more  abundant  and  continuous  sup- 
ply of  tender,  fresh  vegetables  and  luscious  fruits  upon 
the  tables  in  our  southern  homes,  replacing  to  some 
extent  the  deadly  frying-pan  and  the  omnipresent 
canned  goods,  will  contribute  to  health,  refinement  and 
intellectuality,  I  feel  that  ray  declining  years  can,  in  no 
other  way,  be  more  appropriately  spent  than  in  an 
earnest,  honest  effort  to  render  our  farm  homes  more 
attractive  and  their  occupants  more  healthy  and  happy. 

The  true  gardener  loves  his  plants  as  living  com- 
panions, and  enjoys  their  successful  growth  as  he  does 
the  happiness  and  prosperity  of  his  children.  Plants 
respond  to  kind,  intelligent  treatment,  and  manifest 
their  gratitude  by  supplying  more  abundantly  and  per- 
fectly their  treasure  of  flowers  and  fruits.  The  fragrant 
rose  greets  with  blushing  pride  the  coming  of  its  kindly 
benefactor,  and  seems  to  delight  in  his  affectionate 
admiration.  There  can  be  no  contamination  from  asso- 
ciation with  plants,  and  no  danger  of  deadly  disease 
germs  in  the  consumption  of  their  products. 

I  have  been  greatly  assisted  in  the  preparation  of  this 
book  by  Prof.  C.  C.  Newman,  Professor  of  Horticulture 
in  Clemson  Agricultural  College,  and  Horticulturist  of 
South   Carolina  Experiment  Station. 

J.  S.  NEWMAN. 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS 

PART  I. 

Page 

Introduction     1 

The  Soil 1 

General  Classification  of  Soils     3 

Elementary   Composition   of  Plants  and   Their  Sources 

OF  Supply q 

Sources  of  Nitrogen 8 

Sources  of  Phosphoric  Acid 9 

Sources  of  Potash 9 

Relation  of  Soil  to  Plants 10 

Soil  Analysis 11 

Plants 13 

General  Classification  of  Plants 14 

Duration  of  Life  of  Plants 14 

How  Plants  Grow,  How  They  Feed,  and  How  They  Re- 
produce      15 

Sexuality  of  Plants 17 

Crosses  and  Hybrids      20 

Rotation  of  Crops 22 

Intensive  Gardening     25 

Forwarding  Early  Vegetables 28 

Hotbeds  and  Coldframes 29 

Garden  Tools  and  Implements     32 

Soil  Mulch 37 

(vii) 


viii  Contents 

PART   II 

Page 

Species  and  Varieties  of  Vegetables 39 

Aitichoke      39 

Artichoke,  Jerusalem 41 

Asparagus 42 

Beans 47 

Beans,  Lima 49 

Beets      52 

Broccoli : 57 

Brussels  Sprouts -58 

Cabbage 58 

Cauliflower 69 

Carrots 72 

Celery 73 

Celeriac 79 

Corn 79 

Corn    Salad 84 

Cow-peas 84 

Cress 85 

Cucumber .    .  80 

Eggplant 89 

Garlic 93 

Horse-radish    , 93 

Kale 94 

Kohlrabi 94 

Leek 95 

Lettuce      95 

Muskmelons  (Cantaloupes) 98 

Watermelons 105 

Mushroom 110 

Mustard •  HO 


Contents  ix 

Species  and  Varieties  of  Vegetables,  continued  Page 

Nasturtium Ill 

Okra Ill 

Onion 113 

Parsley 120 

Parsnips 121 

Peas 122 

Pepper 128 

Potato,  Irish " 129 

Potato,  Sweet 140 

Pumpkin 155 

Radish 157 

Rape 157 

Rhubarb,  or  Pie-plant 158 

Salsify,  or  Vegetabl*^  Oyster 159 

Sea  Kale 161 

Spinach 161 

Squash 162 

Tomato 164 

Turnips 170 

Rutabagas 173 

PART  III 

Small  Fruits 175 

Grapes 175 

Figs 191 

Strawberries 193 

Raspberries 199 

Currants 201 

Blackberries 202 

Gooseberries    , 203 


X  Contents 

PART  IV 

Page 

Spray  Calendar  for  Fruits 204 

Spray  Calendar  for  Vegetables 206 

Insecticides  and  Fungicides 207 

Spray  Pumps 210 

Select  List  of  Vegetables  for  the  IIoxME  Garden     .    .   .  214 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Page 

Bisexual  tiower;  pistillate  flower 19 

Lettuce  in  coldframe,  January  15 30 

Garden,  or  push-plow 35 

One-year-old  asparagus  roots 43 

Thorburn's  Gilt-Edge  cauliflower 70 

Carrots 72 

Celery 75 

Crosby  sweet  corn 81 

New  York  Improved  Purple  eggplant ....  90 

Hanson  lettuce 96,  97 

Red  Globe  onions 11-t 

Telephone  peas 127 

Spraying  potatoes 130 

Sprayed  potatoes 131 

Second-crop  potatoes 135 

Four-arm  spur  system,  not  pruned 180 

Four-arm  spur  system,  pruned 181 

Spiral  system,  before  pruning 182 

Spiral  system,  after  pruning 183 

James  .Grapes  (Scuppernong  type) 187 

Showing  how  strawberry  plants  are  pruned  before  planting    .  194 
The  double  hedge,  or  matted-row  system  of  growing  straw- 
berries     196 

The  single  hedge,  or  narrow-row  system  of  growing  straw- 
berries      196 

(xi) 


xii  List  of  Illustrations 

Page 

Lady  Thompson  strawberry 198 

Haverland  strawberry 199 

Knapsack  pump 211 

Spraying  with  a  Knapsack  sprayer 211 

Spraying  grapes  with  barrel  pump   . 212 


Southern  Gardener's  Practical  Manual 


PART   I.-INTRODUCTION 

THE   SOIL 

The  agriculturist  and  horticulturist  must  have  a  clear 
conception  of  the  relations  which  soil,  plants  and  animals 
bear  to  each  other  and  to  man,  who  is  entrusted  with  the 
responsible  commission  to  keep,  till,  and  beautify  the 
earth.  He  who  leaves  that  part  of  the  earth's  surface 
which  has  been  entrusted  to  his  care  in  a  worse  condition 
than  it  was  when  he  gained  possession  of  it,  is  a  desecrator 
of  God's  footstool  and  a  violator  of  a  most  sacred  trust. 

All  life  is  dependent  upon  soil  and  air.  This  being 
true,  every  tiller  of  soil  is  interested  in  the  origin  of  soil 
and  the  agencies  which  contributed  to  its  production. 
This  interest  is  intensified  when  he  learns  that  the  same 
agencies  which  gave  birth  to  the  soil  are  his  daily  and 
hourly  co-laborers  in  preserving  and  increasing  its  pro- 
ductiveness. Geologists  tell  us  that,  at  some  period  in  the 
remote  past,  the  crust  of  the  earth  was  solid  rock,  and 
that  through  the  alternation  of  heat  and  cold,  expansion 
and  contraction  of  the  immediate  surface,  fissures  were 
made,  into  which  rain-water  entered,  and  this,  by  means 
of  its  wonderful  expansive  force  when  frozen,  burst 
asunder  the  sides  of  the  fissures  and  crumbled  or  disinte- 

A  1 


2  Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

grated  the  rock,  forming  small  rock  particles,  which  we 
call  soil.  The  carbonic  acid  and  oxygen  of  the  air  further 
acted  upon  these  rock  particles  and  still  further  disinte- 
grated them.  Rain-water,  flowing  over  the  surfaces 
of  the  rock,  gradually  moved  these  particles  to  lower 
elevations  until  there  accumulated  sufficient  inorganic 
material  to  constitute  what  we  term  soil.  The  organic 
constituents,  however,  being  absent,  economic  plants 
could  not  be  grown. 

Another  agency  participated  in  remedying  this  defect. 
There  are  primitive  plants,  known  as  lichens,  which  grow 
upon  the  surface  of  rocks.  These  catch  and  hold  rain  in 
their  season  of  growth.  This  water  freezes  and  lifts  the 
little  plants  from  their  moorings,  and,  torn  asunder  from 
the  rocks,  they  are  washed  down  to  form  a  nucleus  of 
organic  matter  in  the  soil  below.  These  primitive  plants 
evidently  have  the  power  of  collecting  nitrogen  from  the 
air,  thus  contributing  this  most  important  volatile  ele- 
ment to  the  newly  formed  soil;  and,  the  nitrogen  com- 
bining with  the  mineral  constituents  derived  from  the  dis 
integrated  rock,  the  growth  of  a  higher  order  of  plant 
life  is  rendered  possible.  Bacteria  are  now  supposed  to 
have  had  an  active  agency  in  the  formation  of  soil. 

THE    SAME   AGENCIES    STILL   ACTIVE 

Few  gardeners  realize  the  extent  to  which  all  of  these 
natural  agencies, — mechanical,  chemical,  and  bacterio- 
logical,— are  collaborators  with  them  in  their  efforts  to 
improve  their  soils  and  increase  their  crops. 

By  fall   plowing,  the   gardener  utilizes  the  work  of 


Agencies    Which   Improve   the    Soil  3 

freezing  temperature  in  pulverizing  his  soil.  This  facili- 
tates the  beneficial  influence  of  the  air  by  allowing  it 
free  access  to  the  particles  of  soil,  which  are  thus  acted 
upon  by  the  constituents  oxygen  and  carbonic  acid. 
This,  in  turn,  makes  the  soil  a  comfortable  home  for  the 
beneficial  species  of  bacteria,  the  nitrifiers. 

How  fortunate  are  we  in  having  the  services  of  these 
powerful,  though  silent  and  unseen,  laborers  at  our  bid- 
ding, especially  when  we  consider  that  they  require  only 
such  intelligent  manipulation  of  the  soil  as  will  render 
their  invaluable,  freely  rendered  services  practicable, 

GENERAL   CLASSIFICATION   OF   SOILS 

There  is  a  perpetual  movement  of  soil,  together  with 
portions  of  the  decomposing  organic  matter  upon  its 
surface,  from  higher  to  lower  elevations.  Where  there  is 
small  variation  in  the  surface  elevations  of  the  country, 
the  larger  part  of  the  disintegrated  material  remains 
where  it  is  formed.  These  are  termed  by  geologists  sed- 
entary soils,  or  soils  in  place.  Their  mineral  constituents 
are  proximately  known  by  the  indications  of  the  chemical 
analysis  of  the  parent  rock. 

That  considerable  movement  of  such  soils,  and  espe- 
cially of  their  organic  constituents,  has  taken  place,  is 
shown  by  the  greater  productiveness  of  slight  depressions 
compared  with  that  of  the  more  elevated  portions  of  the 
surface. 

Transported  Soils  are  those  which  have  been  so  far 
removed  from  the  place  of  their  birth  that  no  reliable  in- 
dication of  their  source  remains.  These  are  divided  into: 


4  Southern    Gardener^s   Practical  Manual 

(a)  Drift,  or  coarse  material  which  has  been  deposited 
from  water  in  motion.  This  fact  is  usually  indicated  by 
the  presence  of  water -worn  pebbles  in  great  variety  and 
distinctively  different  in  character.  This  drift -deposit  is 
very  clearly  marked,  in  the  southern  states,  along  the 
margin  of  the  old  ocean  bed  forming  the  dividing  line 
between  the  tertiary  formation  and  the  older  land. 

(b)  Alluvium,  or  soil  deposited  from  still  water,  con- 
spicuously manifest  in  river -bottoms,  containing  liberal 
amounts  of  humus,  light  material  easily  floated  so  long 
as  the  water  was  in  motion.  The  fertility  of  such  soils 
as  compared  with  that  of  uplands,  which  have  been  so 
cultivated  as  to  destroy  the  humus,  emphasizes  the 
necessity  of  perpetuating  the  supply  of  this  constituent 
through  the  liberal  application  of  coarse  manures  or  a 
judicious  rotation  of  crops. 

AGRICULTURAL   CLASSIFICATION 

Clayey  soils  are  composed  of  very  minutely  divided 
particles,  which  retard  the  free  percolation  of  water. 
For  this  reason,  they  remain  wet  long  after  rains.  Since 
much  of  the  surface  moisture  is  carried  off  by  evapora- 
tion— a  cooling  process — gardeners  speak  of  them  as 
"cold"  soils.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  they  resist  the 
passage  of  the  plow  through  them,  they  are  spoken  of  as 
"heavy"  soils  as  distinguished  from  sandy  or  sandy 
loam,  although  a  cubic  foot  of  sand  is  heavier  than  the 
same  volume  of  clay.  Owing  to  this  evaporation  from 
the  surface,  preventing  access  of  air,  the  fine  soil -par- 
ticles contract  and  adhere  to  each  other,  thus  causing 


Agricultural    Classification    of  Soils  5 

shrinkage,  resulting  in  the  hardening  of  the  surface 
and  the  forming  of  openings  or  cracks  in  periods  of 
drought.  These  cracks  admit  the  heated  air,  and  the 
contraction  which  produces  them  breaks  the  fibrous 
roots  of  plants,  thus  intensifying  the  injurious  effects 
of  drought.  Owing  to  the  slowness  with  which  clayey 
soils  dry,  they  are  often  seriously  injured  by  cultivation 
while  wet.  This  class  of  soil  is  not  adapted  to  horticul- 
tural use. 

Clay  loam  is  clayey  soil  ameliorated  by  the  presence 
of  sand  and  humus,  but  in  which  clay  predominates.  If 
well  supplied  with  humus,  to  increase  its  porosity, 
darken  its  color,  and  thus  increase  its  friability  and 
elevate  its  temperature,  clay  loam  is  well  adapted  to  the 
growth  of  many  vegetables,  but  is  not  so  desirable  for  a 
garden  soil  as  the  following. 

Sandy  loam  is  one  in  which  sand  predominates  over 
the  clay.  If  kept  supplied  with  humus,  either  by  heavy 
applications  of  animal  manures  or  by  proper  rotation, 
this  constitutes  the  typical  garden  soil.  The  fine  clayey 
soil -particles  fill  the  inter- spaces  between  the  grains  of 
sand  and,  together  with  the  humus,  produce  a  soil  of 
good  texture,  favorable  to  proper  tillage  and  cultivation, 
promptly  warmed  in  spring  and  hence  favorable  to  early 
gardening,  admitting  free  percolation  of  rain-water,  a 
free  circulation  of  air,  and  facilitating  the  ascent  of 
capillary  moisture  in  periods  of  drought. 

Sandy  soils,  composed  principally  of  small  particles 
of  quartz  rock,  are  objectionable  in  many  respects.  The 
particles  of  quartz  being  impervious  to  water,  the  rain- 
water passes  too  freely  through,  carrying  the  soluble 


6  Southern    Oardener^s    Practical   Manual 

substances  available  for  plant -food  ont  of  reach  of  the 
feeding  roots  of  our  cultivated  crops. 

If  the  sandy  surface  rests  upon  a  good  claj-ey  subsoil 
in  reach  of  the  plow,  its  most  serious  defects  may  be 
remedied  by  turning  to  the  surface  in  the  fall  season  a 
portion  of  the  clay  to  be  pulverized  by  the  frosts  of 
winter  and  incorporated  with  the  sand.  In  conjunction 
with  this,  such  rotation  of  crops  as  will  abundantly 
supply  humus,  converts  the  sandy  soil  into  a  sandy 
loam,  the  best  type  of  garden  soil. 

SOIL    IS    THE    gardener's    BANK 

The  success  of  the  gardener  will  depend  very  largely 
upon  his  judgment  in  selecting  and  his  skill  in  the 
management  of  the  soil  upon  which  he  grows  his  crops. 
The  plant  being  absolutely  dependent  upon  the  soil  for 
the  supply  of  all  of  the  mineral  elements  which  enter 
into  its  composition  and  for  much  of  the  volatile  con- 
stituents, its  importance  as  the  gardener's  bank  will  be 
at  once  recognized. 

ELEMENTARY    COMPOSITION    OF    PLANTS    AND    THEIR 
SOURCES    OF    SUPPLY 

By  an  element  is  meant  any  substance  which  cannot, 
with  our  present  knowledge  and  means,  be  separated 
into  two  different  kinds  of  matter. 

So  far  as  known,  all  substances  are  compounded  of 
about  seventy -four  of  these  elements.  Of  these,  only 
fourteen  are  necessary  for  the  production  of  all  forms  of 
vegetation. 


Elementary    Composition    of  Plants  7 

The  plant  derives  all  of  its  substance  from  soil  and 
air.  Those  derived  from  the  air  are  known  as  organic 
elements,  and  those  derived  from  the  soil  as  inorganic. 
These  terms  are  somewhat  confusing,  since  in  a  certain 
sense  the  soil-derived  substances  are  organic  when  form- 
ing a  part  of  an  organized  body.  They  are,  however, 
usually  classified  as  organic  elements  derived  from  the 
air  and  inorganic  elements  derived  from  the  soil,  as 
follows  : 


Air-derived,  or  Organic 

Soil-derived,  or  Inorganic 

Elements — 

Elements — 

Carbon 

Phosphorus 

Hydrogen 

Sulphur 

Oxygen 

Chlorine 

Nitrogen 

Silicon 

Calcium 

Iron 

Potassium 

Sodium 

Magnesium 

Manganese 

The  four  so -called  organic  elements  are  derived 
directly  (or  indirectly  through  the  soil)  from  the  air. 
These  return  almost  entirely  to  the  air  when  a  plant  is 
burned,  while  the  remaining  ten  are  mainly  left  in  the 
ash. 

The  elements  derived  from  the  air  constitute  about 
ninety-five  per  cent  of  all  vegetable  substances,  and  yet, 
with  the  exception  of  nitrogen,  we  are  not  concerned 
with  their  supply.  While  this  is  primarily  derived  from 
the  air,  plants  secure  their  supply  either  from  substances 
containing  it  in  the  soil  or,  as  is  the  case  with  legumes, 
from  the  air  imprisoned  in  the  soil. 


8  Southern    Oardener^s    Practical    Manual 

About  four -fifths  of  the  ocean  of  air  which  bathes 
the  surface  of  our  globe  is  uncombined  nitrogeu.  The 
only  known  means  of  collecting  this  nitrogen  from  the 
air  is  the  power  possessed  by  leguminous  plants,  such  as 
peas,  beans,  clover,  alfalfa,  vetches  and  others,  which 
collect  it  through  the  agency  of  microscopic  organisms 
known  as  bacteria,  that  have  their  homes  in  excrescent 
nodules,  formed  upon  the  roots  of  such  plants.  While 
these  bacteria  possess  the  power  of  fixing  the  nitrogen 
from  the  air,  it  is  supposed  to  be  changed  to  the  form 
of  nitrates  before  being  appropriated  by  plants.  We 
understand  by  nitrate,  nitric  acid  combined  with  some 
metal,  as  sodium,  a  familiar  form  of  which  is  known  to 
chemists  as  sodium  nitrate  or,  in  commerce,  as  nitrate  of 
soda.  If  it  combines  with  potassium,  we  have  potassium 
nitrate,  nitrate  of  potash  or  saltpeter. 

Of  the  fourteen  elements  found  by  chemical  analysis, 
to  be  present  in  plants,  only  three, — nitrogen,  phosphorus 
and  potassium — are  usually  considered  in  the  application 
of  fertilizers  to  the  soil.  On  some  soils  lime  is  a  needed 
constituent. 

The  principal  commercial  sources  of  supply  of  these 
are: 

Nitrogen — (a) Mineral  sources:  Sulphate  of  ammonia, 
nitrate  of  soda  and  (in  Europe)  nitrate  of  potash;  (h) 
Animal  sources:  Dried  blood  and  tankage,  two  by-prod- 
ucts from  slaughter-houses;  fish-scrap,  etc.;  (c)  Vege- 
table sources:  Cottonseed-meal,  castor-bean,  pomace  and 
tobacco  stems.  Natural  guanos  and  animal  manures  are 
also  important  sources. 

Thie  most  cheaply  available  and  inexhaustible  source 


Sources    of  Phosphoric   Acid   and   Potash  9 

is  the  air,  through  the  agency  of  leguminous  plants,  the 
varieties  and  uses  of  which  will  be  discussed  further  on. 

SOURCES    OF    PHOSPHORIC    ACID 

Previous  to  the  discovery  of  the  beds  of  phosphate  of 
lime  on  the  coast  of  South  Carolina  by  Dr.  N.  A.  Pratt, 
in  1867,  the  only  commercial  source  of  phosphoric  acid 
was  animal  bone.  At  present,  the  principal  deposits  of 
phosphate  of  lime,  from  which  the  commercial  supply  of 
phosphoric  acid  is  obtained,  are  found  on  the  coast  of 
South  Carolina,  in  southern  Florida  and  Tennessee. 
These,  pulverized  to  the  condition  of  an  impalpable  pow- 
der and  treated  with  sulphuric  acid,  yield  the  available 
phosphoric  acid  so  extensively  used  in  the  Atlantic  and 
Gulf  States. 

COMMERCIAL    SOURCES    OF    POTASH 

The  Stassfurt  mines  in  northern  Germany  now  sup- 
ply practically  all  of  the  potash  salts  used  in  compound- 
ing commercial  fertilizers.    Of  these: 

Muriate  of  potash  contains  48  to  52  per  cent  of  actual 
potash,  and  constitutes  the  principal  source  of  supplj^  in 
manipulated  commercial  fertilizers. 

Kainit,  a  natural  product  of  the  same  mines,  is 
extensively  used  in  the  southern  states.  This  contains 
from  12 J  to  13  per  cent  of  actual  potash,  in  combina- 
tion with  23  to  26  per  cent  of  sulphate  of  potash,  about 
35  per  cent  of  common  salt  (chloride  of  sodium),  some 
sulphate  and  chloride  of  magnesia  and  a  small  amount 
of  gypsum. 


10  Southern    Gardener's   Practical   Manual 

Sulphate  of  potash  of  high  grade  contains  48  to  51 
per  cent  of  actual  potash.  This  form  is  usually  pre- 
ferred to  muriate  or  kainit  for  tobacco  and  some  garden 
crops,  such  as  Irish  potatoes  and  other  starch- producers. 
There  are  other  commercial  sources  of  potash,  but  these 
are  most  commonly  used. 

RELATION    OF    SOIL    TO    PLANTS 

While  a  very  small  part  of  the  food  of  plants  is  fur- 
nished directly  by  the  soil,  the  plant  is  dependent  upon 
it  in  many  ways.  It  supports  it  mechanically  in  an 
upright  position,  and  thus  exposes  its  leaves  to  the  in- 
fluence of  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun.  It  furnishes  a  field 
in  which  its  roots  ramify  and  gather,  not  only  the  min- 
eral or  ash  elements  of  its  food,  but  the  moisture  neces- 
sary to  serve  as  a  vehicle  for  the  transmission  of  its 
supplies,  both  direct  and  indirect,  into  its  circulation. 

The  soil  is  the  storehouse  of  plant -food,  the  larger 
part  of  which  is  held  in  reserve  in  insoluble  compounds 
awaiting  intelligent  manipulation  to  induce  such  con- 
ditions as  will  render  its  stores  available  to  plants. 
It  is  at  once  a  chemical  and  biological  laboratory  in 
which  nature's  reagents  are  ever  at  work  producing, 
by  analysis  and  synthesis,  the  mysterious  metamor- 
phoses of  the  material  which  is  there  stored  for  the 
use  of  the  plant.  Chemical  changes  and  bacteriological 
activity  await  the  skilful  manipulation  of  the  intelligent 
gardener  to  supply  the  conditions  necessary  for  the 
maximum  usefulness  of  these  auxiliary  forces.  It  re- 
ceives and  stores  the  warmth  of  the  sun's  rays,  husbands 


Analysis  of  Soil  and  Its  Relation  to  Plants       11 

the  moisture  from  the  seasonable  showers,  and  admits 
into  its  porous  surface  atmospheric  air,  thus  suppljdng 
necessary  requisites  for  seed  germination  and  plant- 
growth. 

Soil  analysis. — The  chemist  can  tell  us,  through  the 
anah'sis  of  the  soil,  what  elements  it  contains  and  how 
much  of  each  is  present,  but  he  cannot  tell  whether 
these  elements  are  available  as  plant -food.  He  cannot, 
therefore,  learn  through  the  analysis  what  elements 
must  be  supplied  to  any  particular  soil  to  increase  plant- 
production.  Soil  analysis  is  especially  serviceable  in  its 
negative  results.  If  analysis  shows  the  absence  of  any 
one  of  the  three  essential  elements,  we  know  that  it 
must  be  supplied  to  render  plant-growth  possible. 

In  an  excellent  bulletin  (No.  94,  New  Series)  of  the 
New  York  State  Experiment  Station,  Dr.  L.  L.  Van 
Slyke,  discussing  the  amount  of  plant-food  in  soil,  says: 

"The  amount  of  plant-food,  even  in  a  fertile  soil,  is 
comparatively  small.  One  thousand  pounds  of  a  good 
soil  may  contain : 

Phosphoric  acid H  pounds 

Nitrogen H  pounds 

Potash 2  pounds 

"Some  soils  may  contain  larger  quantities  than  these. 
But  when  we  consider  the  total  amount  of  plant -food 
in  one  acre  of  soil,  the  amounts  appear  large." 

While  the  weight  of  soil  in  an  acre  of  different  kinds 
of  land  varies,  w^e  may  take  the  average  weight  of  dry 
soil  in  one  acre,  to  the  depth  of  nine  inches,  as  approxi- 
mating about  3,000,000  to  3,500,000  pounds.    One  acre 


12  Southern    Gardener's    Practical   Manual 

of  soil  containing  the  proportions  of  plant -food  given 
above  would,  therefore,  contain  the  following  aggregate 
amounts: 

Nitrogen 4,500  pounds 

Phosphoric  acid 4,500  pounds 

Potash 6,000  pounds 

In  addition  to  these  stores  of  plant-food  in  the  first 
nine  inches,  large  amounts  of  insoluble  mineral  matter 
are  found  in  the  subsoil.  The  intelligent  gardener, 
recognizing  the  important  part  performed  by  the  soil  in 
furnishing  directly  all  of  the  mineral  constituents  found 
in  plants,  and  supplying  indirectly  nearly  all  other 
plant-food,  devotes  his  attention  almost  exclusively  to 
such  treatment  of  the  soil  as  he  thinks  most  conducive 
to  healthy  plant -growth.  He  feeds  his  plants,  through 
the  medium  of  the  soil,  with  such  combinations  of  ele- 
ments as  experience  and  experiment  have  shown  to  be 
necessary  to  supplement  the  natural  stores  of  available 
plant-food  in  the  soil.  He  manipulates  the  soil  with 
plow  and  harrow  to  facilitate  the  work  of  chemical  agents 
and  beneficial  species  of  bacteria.  In  addition  to  this 
mechanical  manipulation,  he  applies  animal  manures, 
rotates  with  leguminous  crops  to  furnish  humus,  adds 
lime  and  other  amendments  where  needed,  using  every 
means  in  his  power  to  secure  that  condition  of  his  soil 
known  as  ''good  texture,"  which  is  necessary  for  the 
successful  germination  of  the  seed  and  the  growth  of 
the  plant.  The  accomplishment  of  this  will  be  greatly 
facilitated  by  the  selection  of  sandy  loam  or  clay -loam 
as  the  garden  soil. 


Plant:    An    Organized    Vegetable    Stt^ucture       13 

So  important  is  the  soil  that  success  or  failure  de- 
pends upon  the  gardener's  industry  and  skill  in  its 
management. 

PLANTS 

It  is  not  enough  that  the  gardener  should  acquaint 
himself  with  the  needs  of  the  soil  which  he  cultivates, 
and  learn  how  most  effectively  and  economically  to 
supply  them,  but  he  must  become  thoroughly  familiar 
with  the  peculiar  characteristics  and  requirements  of 
every  species  of  the  plants  he  cultivates.  This  can  be 
learned  bj'  personal  contact  and  association,  accompanied 
with  a  close  and  critical  study  of  the  life -history  of  the 
plant  from  the  germination  of  the  seed  on  through  its 
life  history,  including  its  feeding  and  growth,  to  its 
completed  reproduction. 

WHAT     IS    A    PLANT  ? 

An  approximately  complete  answer  to  this  question 
as  regards  flowering  plants  is  "An  organized  vegetable 
structure  having  roots,  stems  and  leaves,  the  destiny  of 
which  is  to  reproduce  itself  through  the  agency  of  flow- 
ers and  seed."  All  plant -life  proceeds  from  germs  or 
buds. 

The  propagation  of  plants  through  these  agencies 
involves  a  most  interesting  study,  which  underlies  the 
whole  problem  of  successful  agriculture,  in  which  horti- 
culture is  the  branch  which  appeals  most  closely  to  the 
unit  of  civilized  life — the  home,  and  in  which  each  mem- 
ber of  the  family  is  more  or  less  interested. 


14  Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

GENERAL    CLASSIFICATION 

All  flowering  plants  are  grouped  into  two  general 
classes,  viz.: 

Exogens,  or  outside  growers,  and  Endogens,  or  inside 
growers.  The  distinctive  characteristics  of  these  classes 
are  so  marked  that  they  are  easily  recognized.  Exogens 
have  two  or  more  seed-leaves,  form  new  growth  on  the 
outside,  are  hardest  on  the  inside,  have  a  vertical,  de- 
scending axis  or  tap-root,  the  bark  readily  separates 
from  the  wood  during  active  growth.  To  this  class 
belong  all  of  our  forest    trees  except  the  palm  family. 

Endogens  embrace  all  plants  of  the  grass  family, 
including  cereals,  corn,  cane,  sorghums,  etc.  They  vege- 
tate with  one  seed-leaf,  grow  from  the  inside,  are  hard- 
est on  the  outside,  have  no  tap-root,  and  have  no 
distinct  bark. 

DURATION    OF    LIFE 

Plants  are  also  classified  as: 

Anntials,  or  those  which  grow  during  one  season, 
ripen  their  seed  and  die.  Examples  of  this  class  are 
corn,  peas,  beans,  the  melon  family,  etc.  These  store  in 
the  seed  a  germ  and  food  for  the  young  plant. 

Biennials  are  those  which  live  through  two  seasons, 
and  usually  store  in  roots,  bulbs  or  stalks,  food  from 
which  the  seed-stalk  is  produced  the  second  year.  Fa- 
miliar examples  of  these  are  found  in  the  onion,  beet, 
turnip  and  other  root  crops. 

Perennials  are  those  which  have  no  definite  period 
of  life  but  continue  to  grow  from  year  to  year,  produc- 


Plant -Feeding,  Growth,  and  Reproduction         15 

ing  seed  after  attaining  the  required  age,  which  differs 
in  different  species.  Very  few  garden  vegetables  are 
perennial. 

Perennial-rooted  plants  succumb  to  frost  above 
ground,  the  roots  living  through  the  winter.  The  most 
conspicuous  of  these  among  garden  vegetables  are  as- 
asparagus  and  horse-radish. 

The  artichoke  and  Irish  potato  reproduce  from  tubers, 
while  the  sweet  potato  is  propagated  from  tuberous 
roots  or  from  vine  cuttings. 

HOW    PLANTS     FEED — HOW    THEY    GROW — AND    HOW 
THEY    REPRODUCE 

There  are  few  subjects  more  intensely  interesting  to 
the  lover  of  Nature  than  her  methods  and  processes  in 
plant -building  and  plant -reproduction. 

Without  entering  into  the  intricate  details  of  the 
results  of  scientific  research  into  Nature's  secret  in  these 
respects,  it  is  important  that  the  gardener  who  desires 
both  profit  and  pleasure  from  his  chosen  vocation 
should  acquaint  himself  with  the  laws  of  being  of  his 
plants  and  the  manner  in  which  the  different  parts 
cooperate  in  collecting,  distributing,  preparing  and 
appropriating  the  crude,  dead  material  of  soil  and  air 
and  transforming  it  into  a  thing  of  life  and  beauty. 

The  active  agents  in  the  feeding  and  growth  of 
plants  are  their  roots,  stems  and  leaves.  These  are  the 
organs  of  vegetation,  or  growth.  It  is  through  these 
that  the  dead  materials  of  soil  and  air  are  collected,  dis- 
tributed, transformed  and  vitalized,  each  working  in  its 


16  Southern    Gardener^s    Practical   Manual 

own  sphere  but  in  perfect  harmony  with  and  depen- 
dence upon  the  others.  The  microscope  reveals  the  fact 
that  the  growth  of  the  plant  is  an  intricate  process  of 
cell -building.  While  the  plant  possesses  no  venal  or 
arterial  system  for  the  circulation  of  its  vital  fluids  such 
as  animals  have,  it  possesses  a  closely  analogous  inter- 
cellular circulation. 

Plants  take  their  food  either  in  a  liquid  solution  or 
as  gas — the  former  through  minute  root -hairs  on  the 
growing  parts  of  the  roots,  the  latter  through  micro- 
scopic openings  (stomata)  in  the  leaf  surface.  This 
food  is  not  assimilable  when  taken  into  the  circulation, 
but  must  undergo  a  process  in  the  economy  of  the 
plant  similar  to  that  of  digestion  in  the  animal. 

After  the  seed  has  been  subjected  to  the  requisite 
influence  of  warmth,  moisture  and  air  to  vitalize  its 
germ,  the  plantlet  utilizes  the  material  stored  in  the 
seed-capsules  in  equipping  itself  with  roots,  stems  and 
leaves  preparatory  to  performing  all  of  the  functions 
of  a  complete  individual  plant. 

The  following  feeding  process  now  takes  place:  The 
minute  root-hairs  absorb,  from  the  soil  with  which  they 
come  in  contact,  moisture  in  which  appropriate  food  has 
been  dissolved.  This  is  conveyed  by  capillary  force 
through  the  cellular  structure  of  the  root  and  stem  to  the 
leaves,  where  a  part  of  the  moisture  carrying  the  solution 
is  exhaled  into  the  air.  The  solution  thus  becomes  more 
dense  than  that  entering  the  leaves,  and  the  process 
known  as  diffusion  of  liquids  begins.  The  changes  which 
have  taken  place  in  the  leaves  have  converted  the  crude 
sap-fluid  taken  in  by  the  roots  into  prepared,  digested  or 


The    Way    in    Which   Plants   Feed   and    Grow     17 

assimilable  plant -food.  This  now  diffuses  downward 
through  the  cells  as  the  crude  and  more  diluted  liquid 
rises,  and  the  parts  of  the  plant  from  leaf  to  root  appro- 
priate this  prepared  material  to  the  formation  of  new 
cells  and  through  them  to  plant-growth.  While  the  roots 
are  collecting  food,  in  solution,  from  the  soil,  the  leaves 
are  taking  from  the  air,  carbon  and  oxygen  combined  as 
carbon  dioxide  (carbonic  acid  gas),  which  they  dissect, 
using  the  carbon  as  building  material  during  the  day, 
giving  the  oxygen  back  to  the  air  and  reversing  this 
process  at  night,  appropriating  the  oxygen  and  discarding 
the  carbon.  It  is  thus  shown  that  all  parts  of  the  plant 
are  mutually  dependent  upon  each  other.  The  roots  col- 
lect the  soil -derived  material  and  send  it  up  to  the  leaves 
to  be  prepared  for  food.  It  then  diffuses  to  all  parts  of 
the  plant,  the  roots  included,  contributing  to  the  growth 
and  development  into  a  complete  individual.  This  is  the 
simple  story  of  the  feeding  and  growth  of  the  plant. 

SEXUALITY   IN   PLANTS 

Plants  reproduce  naturally  by  seed,  bulbs,  tubers, 
underground  stems,  etc.,  but  by  far  the  most  common 
plan  is  through  flowers,  resulting  in  the  production  of 
seed. 

Flowers  of  different  species  of  plants  differ  materially 
in  the  arrangement  of  the  essential  organs  of  reproduc- 
tion.    The  three  principal  types  are: 

Bisexual,  or  perfect  flowers,  having  all  of  the  essential 
organs  of  reproduction  in  the  same  flower.  Okra,  beans, 
and   the  cabbage   family   have    perfect   flowers.    These 


18  Southern    Gardener^s   Practical  Manual 

COD  tain,  besides  the  petals  or  the  ornamental  part,  the 
stamens,  or  male  organs,  and  the  j^istil  (or  pistils),  the 
female  organ. 

The  stamens  are  composed  of  two  parts,  the  stem  or 
filament  on  the  end  of  which  is  a  little  sack  or  anther 
containing  a  fine  powder  or  pollen,  which  is  necessary  to 
fertilize  the  pistil  or  vitalize  the  ovules  or  embryo  seed. 
The  pistil  is  also  composed  of  two  parts,  the  stem,  or 
style,  and  the  stigma.  The  latter,  which  rests  upon  the 
upper  end  of  the  style,  is  divided  into  lobes  correspond- 
ing in  number  with  the  compartments  of  the  ovary,  the 
enlarged  body  upon  which  the  pistil  rests  and  with  which 
it  communicates.  The  pollen -granules  fall  upon  the 
stigma,  which  is  covered  with  a  retentive  gummy  sub- 
stance. 

These  granules  vegetate  and  communicate,  through  the 
filament,  with  the  ovules,  and  vitalize  them.  The  ovary 
(egg-bag)  contains  the  ovules  (little  eggs),  or  embryo 
seed.  In  the  okra,  the  edible  pod  is  the  ovary,  as  is  the 
fruit  of  the  eggplant,  the  bean  pod,  etc.  Plants  bearing 
hisexual,  or  perfect  flowers  are  capable  of  producing  seed 
without  external  aid,  as  all  necessary  parts  are  present 
in  each  flower.  Such  seed,  how^ever,  cannot  always  be 
depended  upon  to  reproduce  the  variety  of  plant  on 
which  they  grow  on  account  of  the  visitation  of  insects, 
which  carry  the  pollen  from  flower  to  flower  and  thus 
cross-fertilize  the  pistils. 

Monoecious  plants. — All  plants  do  not  bear  perfect 
flowers,  but  many  have  the  male  organ,  or  stamen,  and 
the  female  organs,  the  pistil,  ovary  and  ovules,  in  different 
flowers  on  the  same  plant.    This  is  illustrated  in  the 


Sexuality   in   Plants 


19 


corn-plaut,  which  bears  the  stamens  on  the  tassel  and 
the  pistil  in  the  silk,  each  strand  of  silk  being  connected 
with  an  ovule,  and  hence  the  stigma  of  each  strand  of 
silk  or  pistil  must  receive  a  pollen -granule  in  order  that 
the  ovule  to  which  it  is  attached  may  produce  a  grain  of 
corn.  All  of  the  melon  family  belong  to  this  class,  the 
ovary  in  these  cases  showing  before  the  flowers  open, 
below  the  female  flower  or  that  containing  the  pistil. 
The  flowers  containing  the  stamens  are  readily  recognized 


Fig.  1.     Bisexual  flower 


K.  M.  AV. 

Pistillate  flower 


by  the  absence  of  the  ovary.  Plants  of  this  class  are 
more  liable  to  cross -pollenizing  than  are  the  bisexual, 
because  they  are  largely  dependent  upon  the  priestly 
office  of  the  bee  for  marrying  them.  The  melons, 
squashes  and  others  of  that  class  are  so  completely- 
dependent  upon  insects  that  flowers  which  open  under 
such  weather  conditions  as  prevent  the  visits  of  insects 
fail  to  produce. 


20  Southern    Gardener^ s    Practical   Mamial 

Bmcious  plants. — A  third  class  of  plauts  bear  male 
flowers  and  female  flowers,  or  those  containing  stamens 
and  pistils  on  .separate  plants.  Asparagus  and  spinach 
are  illustrations  of  this  class. 

CROSSES   AND  HYBRIDS 

Extreme  caution  is  necessary  to  prevent  varieties  of 
monoecious  plants  from  crossing  and  their  species  from 
hybridizing.  This  is  especially  true  of  the  melons,  cucum- 
bers, squashes,  and  gourds  and  corn.  It  is  impossible  to 
prevent  crossing  if  varieties  are  grown  near  each  other, 
while  cucumbers  and  cantaloupes  hybridize,  as  do 
squashes  and  gourds.  Such  crosses  and  hybrids  not  only 
affect  the  crops  grown  from  the  seed,  which  have  been 
cross-fertilized,  but  the  flavor  of  the  fruit  of  the  current 
year  is  affected.  If  gourds  are  'grown  near  squashes, 
cucumbers  near  cantaloupes,  or  even  watermelons  near 
pumpkins,  occasionally  the  effect  upon  the  flavor  is 
appreciable. 

Some  very  marked  cases  of  the  cucumber  hybridized 
with  the  cantaloupe  have  occurred  in  the  experience  of 
the  writer.  The  seed  of  the  hybrid  produced  in  each 
case. 

While  accidental  crossing  of  varieties  is  very  trouble- 
some to  the  gardener  and  fruit-grower,  new  varieties 
are  thus  produced,  which  greatly  enrich  our  catalogues. 
Although  closely  related  species  hybridize  readily,  it  is 
almost  impossible  to  establish  a  type  which  is  sufficiently 
fixed  to  reproduce  itself  accurately. 

The    desirable    qualities    of    two    varieties    may   be 


Creation   of  Crosses   mul   Hybrids  21 

blended  by  artificial  crossing  so  guarded  as  to  exclude 
the  pollen  of  all  varieties  other  than  the  one  desired. 

The  process  is  very  simple,  and  with  bisexual  flowers 
is  conducted  as  follows:  The  corolla  is  opened  artifi- 
cially before  the  anthers  are  ready  to  burst  and  distrib- 
ute the  pollen.  The  stamens  are  carefully  removed 
without  injuring  the  pistil,  and  a  light  paper  bag  is 
carefully  slipped  over  the  flower  to  prevent  access  of 
pollen  from  other  flowers.  The  flower  from  which  the 
pollen  is  to  be  used  is  also  protected  in  the  same 
manner.  As  soon  as  the  pollen  in  the  flowers  of  the 
plant  is  ripe  or  ready  for  distribution  and  the  pistil 
ready  for  its  reception,  that  from  which  the  pollen  is  to 
be  used  is  carried  to  that  from  which  the  stamens  have 
been  removed,  its  pollen  gathered  on  a  delicate  camel's 
hair  brush  and  gently  deposited  on  the  stigma  of  the 
pistil.  This  flower  is  again  protected  from  access  of  other 
pollen  until  the  day's  inflorescence  has  been  completed. 

The  seed  from  the  ovary  of  the  pistil  thus  treated, 
being  the  combined  and  exclusive  production  of  these 
two  varieties,  will  produce  a  new  variety  having  the 
qualities  of  the  two  parents  blended  in  a  new  individual. 

Selection  of  seed  from  ideal  plants,  blending  in  the 
highest  degree  the  good  qualities  of  the  parents,  will  be 
necessary  for  several  generations  of  the  offspring  to 
perfectly  fix  the  type  desired.  This  practice  relates  to 
crossing  varieties  bearing  bisexual  flowers.  In  the  case 
of  monoecious  and  dioecious  plants,  the  pistils  and 
stamens  appearing  in  different  flowers,  the  same  process 
is  pursued  except  that  there  wall  be  no  stamens  to  be 
removed. 


22  Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical    Manual 

In  the  orchard  and  vineyard,  plants  are  propagated 
true  to  variety  by  division,  while  in  the  garden,  with 
the  exception  of  those  species  which  are  propagated  by 
bulbs,  tubers  or  tuberous  roots,  we  are  dependent  upon 
seed  for  growing  our  vegetables. 

ROTATION    OF    CROPS 

This  should  be  systematically  practiced  in  every  well- 
conducted  garden.  The  i-easons  for  this  practice  are 
based  on  sound  scientific  principles. 

A  proper  rotation  maintains  good  physical  condition 
or  good  texture.  This  may  be  accomplished  by  very 
heavy  annual  applications  of  animal  manures. 

Different  species  of  plants  take  from  the  soil  the 
elements  of  plant-food  in  different  proportions,  hence 
the  continued  cultivation  of  the  same  crop  on  a  soil  may 
exhaust  the  available  part  of  the  element  or  elements 
which  it  requires  in  largest  proportion,  besides  causing 
other  injurious  effects  noticed  further  on. 

The  fungous  parasites  which  attack  particular  species 
of  plants  are  multiplied  from  year  to  year  if  plants  of 
this  species  are  continuously  grown  on  the  same  soil, 
while,  if  other  species  which  are  immune  to  these  para- 
sites are  alternated  with  the  host  plants  of  such  parasites, 
the  latter  fail  to  be  reproduced  and  disappear.  Nearly 
all  insects  confine  their  depredations  to  particular  species 
of  plants,  and  as  these  insects  hibernate  in  or  near  the 
soil  on  which  their  food  plants  have  grown,  they  become 
more  destructive  as  they  are  multiplied  by  their  favorite 
pasturage.    The  Colorado  potato  beetle  did  not  multiply 


The    Reason  for   Rotation   in    Crops  23 

until  fields  of  their  favorite  food  plant  increased  their 
broods. 

Some  crops  supply  humus  either  through  the  parts 
left  on  or  in  the  soil,  or  through  the  mulch  used  to  retain 
moisture,  as  in  the  case  of  potatoes. 

Some  plants  feed  through  fibrous  roots  which  ramifj^ 
near  the  surface,  while  others  extend  their  roots  more 
deeply,  draw  their  food  supply  from  lower  strata  and 
even  from  the  subsoil. 

Legumes,  such  as  beans,  peas,  etc.,  collect  nitrogen 
from  the  air,  not  only  thus  contributing  to  their  own 
growth,  but  leaving  the  soil  supplied  with  this  element 
for  the  use  of  future  crops — they  are  nitrogen-collectors. 
The  majority  of  our  garden  vegetables  are  nitrogen-con- 
sumers, and  derive  this  element  of  their  food  from  the_ 
soil.  As  far  as  practicable,  therefore,  nitrogen-collectors 
should  follow  nitrogen-consumers,  and  vice  versa.  Some 
garden  crops  are  more  favorable  to  the  growth  of  weeds 
than  others.  These  should  not  succeed  each  other,  but 
should  rather  be  alternated  with  clean  culture  crops. 

Neither  grass  nor  weeds  should  ripen  seed  in  a  gar- 
den if  possible  to  prevent  it.  Large  quantities  of  grass 
and  weed  seeds  are  introduced  into  the  garden  in  home 
manures  not  properly  fermented. 

All  of  these  manures  should  be  composted  with  acid 
phosphate  and  allowed  to  ferment  in  heap  until  the 
germs  of  all  seed  which  they  contain  are  destroyed. 

Plants  of  the  same  species  should  not  succeed  each 
other.  Plants  grown  for  their  seed,  or  for  fruit  in  which 
the  seed  are  developed,  should  follow  and  be  followed  by 
those  grown  for  their  leaves. 


24  Southern    Gardener^ s    Practical    Manual 

While  rotation  cannot  be  so  thoroughly  practiced  in 
the  garden  as  in  the  field,  it  should  never  be  entirely 
overlooked  in  the  allotment  of  the  different  crops. 

No  gardener  should  be  content  to  grow  only  one 
crop  a  year,  except  those  which  necessarily  occupy  the 
soil  throughout  the  growing  season,  such  as  okra,  sal- 
sify, parsnips,  etc.  Succession  and  intercultural  crops 
add  to  both  the  pleasure  and  profit  of  gardening.  The 
garden  is  not  now  divided  into  squares  with  walks 
between  as  formerly,  when  labor  was  cheap  and  plen- 
tiful, but  the  different  vegetables  are  planted  in  rows 
extending  across  the  garden,  using  as  many  rows  as 
necessary  to  supply  the  family.  Under  this  system, 
rotation  with  succession  crops  is  easy. 

The  writer  has  grown  as  many  as  four  crops  on  the 
same  laud  in  one  season,  as  follows:  Irish  potatoes 
planted  in  January,  corn  in  alternate  rows  at  the  last 
cultivation  of  the  potatoes.  Digging  the  potatoes  or, 
rather,  plowing  them  up,  partly  cultivated  the  corn.  As 
soon  as  roasting-ears  were  gathered  from  the  corn,  the 
stalks  were  removed,  the  land,  thoroughly  broken,  pul- 
verized and  manured,  was  set  in  cabbage.  While  cul- 
tivating the  cabbage,  an  abundant  stand  of  volunteer 
potatoes  came.  Soil  was  drawn  up  around  these  during 
the  cultivation  of  the  cabbage.  The  soil  being  very 
heavily  fertilized — 105  two -ox  cart-loads  of  cow  manure 
per  acre — the  cabbage  leaves  literally  covered  the  sur- 
face of  the  soil  by  the  first  of  November,  thus  protect- 
ing the  little  hillocks  containing  the  potatoes,  which 
were  gathered  as  needed  during  the  winter.  The  pota- 
toes and  cabbages  were  of  extraordinary  size  and  quality. 


Economy   of  Intensive    Cultivation  25 

There  should  be  uo  idle  land  in  a  well- managed  gar- 
den. As  soon  as  one  crop  has  matured  or  passed  its 
usefulness,  the  land  should  be  thoroughly  prepared,  and 
general!}^  well  manured,  and  a  succession  crop  planted. 
Winter  crops  may  be  grown  between  asparagus  rows 
and  other  plants  which  are  practically  dormant,  such  as 
lettuce,  cabbage,  radishes,  etc. 

Plots  which  are  occupied  by  okra  or  other  annuals 
until  severe  frosts,  should  be  manured  and  plowed  sev- 
eral times  during  the  early  winter,  and  planted  in  peas, 
beets,  salsify,  or  potatoes  from  January  to  March, 
according  to  latitude.  Frequent  winter  plowing  incor- 
porates the  manure  with  the  soil,  and  the  soil  is  pulver- 
ized and  improved  by  the  effects  of  severe  freezes  and 
numerous  insects  are  destroyed  in  the  larva  or  pupa 
stage,  while  hibernating.  This  is  especially  true  of 
cutworms. 

INTENSIVE   GARDENING 

The  southern  gardener  is  much  disposed  to  imitate 
the  southern  farmer  in  half- preparing,  half- fertilizing 
and  half- cultivating  a  large  area  instead  of  concentrat- 
ing his  efforts  in  all  of  these  respects  on  one -half  or 
even  one -fourth  the  area.  It  costs  less  to  cultivate  one- 
fourth  acre  on  the  most  intensive  system  than  it  does 
to  treat  an  acre  in  the  usual  slipshod  manner.  One- 
fourth  of  an  acre  properly  handled  will  supply  an  aver- 
age family  with  enough  vegetables  for  their  daily  con- 
sumption and  a  sufficient  surplus  to  pay  for  the  labor  of 
cultivation. 

The  most  advanced  intensive  system  means  thorough 


26  Southern    Gardener^s   Praciical    Manual 

under-drainage,  deep  tillage,  or  trenching,  seemingly- 
extravagant  manuring,  and  facilities  for  irrigation. 
The  ditches  for  the  underdrains  should  be  not  less  than 
three  feet  deep  nor  more  than  twentj- -five  feet  apart.  If 
the  bottoms  of  the  ditches  are  firm  and  rock  accessible, 
the  rock  culvert  drain  will  answer  as  well  as  tile  and 
involve  no  outlay  of  cash  except  for  labor. 

A  row  of  stones  as  large  as  a  man's  fist  placed  on 
each  side  of  the  bottom  of  the  ditch,  and  another  row  so 
placed  as  to  bridge  across  these,  will  make  the  culvert. 
Trash  or  straw  thrown  over  these  will  prevent  the  loose 
soil  from  sifting  through  the  interspaces  while  filling 
the  ditches.  The  writer  constructed  rock -culvert  under- 
drains in  1854  which  are  still  effective.  Such  under- 
drains prevent  the  possibility  of  super -saturation  of  the 
soil  during  rainy  seasons,  and  equally  prevent  the  evil 
effects  of  drought  by  not  only  increasing  the  capillary 
moisture  from  below  but  by  so  deepening  the  pasturage 
for  the  roots  of  the  plants  as  to  make  them  drought- 
resisting. 

A  garden  of  the  size  proposed  may  be  reasonably 
well  protected  from  the  injurious  effects  of  drought,  if 
located  near  the  well  and  house  and  slightly  below  them, 
by  conducting  all  waste  water  through  the  underdrains 
by  means  of  a  pipe  provided  for  the  purpose.  Besides 
the  benefit  thus  received  by  the  garden,  the  sanitation 
of  the  premises  will  be  conserved  by  preventing  waste 
water  from  being  thrown  around  the  yard,  a  practice  far 
too  common  around  private  homes.  Wherever  practi- 
cable, water  pressure  should  be  provided  in  storage  tanks 
for  general  use  about  the  premises,   for  garden-    and 


Tlip    Comjjost    Heaj)  a    YaluahU    Adjunct  27 

flower -yard  irrigation  and  for  fire  protection.  The 
cheapest  and  most  satisfactory  water -lifter  is  the  hy- 
draulic ram,  which  can  be  used  wherever  a  fall  can  be 
secured  in  a  near-by  creek  or  branch.  If  devoted  to  no 
other  use  than  watering  stock,  supplying  the  family 
bathtub  and  the  kitchen  sink,  the  expense  of  the  ram, 
piping  and  tank  proves  a  judicious  investment. 

One -fourth  acre,  properly  prepared  and  cultivated, 
will  furnish  more  and  better  vegetables  and  small  fruits 
than  an  acre  treated  in  the  usual  way.  The  manui-e 
necessary  for  a  small  garden  may  be  made  by  compost- 
ing in  some  out-of-the-way  place,  but  convenient  of 
access,  all  refuse  material  from  the  yard  and  garden  aud 
the  slops  from  the  house,  including  pickle  brine,  w^aste 
salt  from  meat  and  wood  ashes.  All  of  this  material 
may  be  collected  from  day  to  day  into  a  slight  excava- 
tion and  occasionally  forked  over.  No  animal  manures 
should  be  used  in  this,  but  they  should  be  composted 
separately  with  concentrating  and  protecting  substances. 
Lime  and  ashes  may  be  used  to  advantage  in  the  com- 
post of  refuse  material,  but  not  with  animal  manures, 
lest  they  cause  a  loss  of  ammonia.  They  will  hasten  the 
decomposition  of  the  vegetable  matter  and  thus  briug  it 
more  promptly  into  condition  for  use.  If  there  is  added 
to  this  compost  a  few  loads  of  leaf -mold  from  the 
woods,  its  value  will  be  materially  increased.  It  will  be 
ready  for  use  on  the  garden  soil  when  the  vegetable 
matter  has  been  broken  down  and  the  whole  converted 
into  a  dark  peaty  mass.  Stable  manure,  fresh  and 
unfermented,  should  not  be  used  in  the  garden 
unless   applied   in    the  fall   and    incorporated  with  the 


28  Southern    Gardener^ s    Practical   Manual 

soil  by  frequent  use  of  the  plow  during  the  fall  and 
winter. 

These  manures  are  rendered  more  promptly  available 
to  the  plants  if  composted  and  allowed  to  ferment  for 
six  weeks. 

If  cotton  seed  is  available,  it  may  be  mixed  with 
the  animal  manures  and  moistened  as  mixed,  and  then 
thoroughly  commingled  with  about  700  pounds  of  acid 
phosphate  to  the  ton  of  dry  material.  During  the  fer- 
mentation, the  coarse  material  of  the  animal  manures  is 
partially  decomposed  and  all  grass  and  weed  seed  killed 
by  the  heat  generated  by  the  fermentation.  This,  used  at 
the  rate  of  a  ton  to  the  acre  broadcast,  and  500  pounds 
in  drill,  produces  prompt  and  satisfactory  growth  of 
plants. 

Success  in  the  garden  is  largely  a  question  of  ma- 
nures, liberally  and  judiciously  used. 

FORWARDING    EARLY  VEGETABLES 

In  market-gardening  this  is  a  vital  question,  and  the 
amateur  who  takes  pride  and  pleasure  in  his  vegetable- 
garden  needs  to  provide  some  effective  means  of  for- 
warding certain  species  to  be  transplanted,  for  the 
purpose  of  enabling  them  to  utilize  to  the  best  advan- 
tage the  season  to  which  they  are  adapted.  The  cabbage, 
cauliflower  and  others  delight  in  the  moist  and  tem- 
perate spring  season,  but  the  melons,  eggplants,  toma- 
toes, peppers,  etc.,  must  be  protected  from  the  low 
temperature  of  spring  by  the  use  of  hotbeds  and  cold- 
frames  until  after  all  danger  of  frost.     The  hotbeds  de- 


The   Proper   Watj    to   Make   a   Hotbed  29 

scribed  by  northern  writers  upon  the  subject  are  not 
necessary  in  the  southern  states,  where  the  extremes  of 
cold  are  not  experienced.  The  great  mass  of  manure 
recommended  by  them  is  not  needed  here.  Indeed,  a 
well -prepared  coldframe,  with  protected  exposure  to  the 
south,  will  answer  except  for  tomatoes,  eggplants  and 
peppers.  The  following  plan  for  a  family  garden  has 
proved  quite  satisfactory  in  the  experience  of  the  writer: 
A  single  3  x  6-foot  sash  will  give  ample  space  not  only 
for  starting  these  three  species,  but  enough  for  once 
transplanting  them  before  transferring  to  the  coldframe, 
where  they  are  to  be  hardened  off  for  transplanting  to 
the  open  ground.  Excavate  to  the  depth  of  eight  inches 
an  area  3  feet  3  inches  wide  by  5  feet  8  inches  long. 
Fill  this  with  fermenting  stable  manure  and  green  cotton 
seed  mixed  in  equal  parts,  moisten  it  and  stamp  down 
smoothly,  moistening  the  material  as  it  is  mixed,  and 
again  when  put  into  the  pit  if  it  seems  dry. 

Construct  a  close  frame  of  one  and  one -half  inch 
heart  lumber  to  fit  over  this  pit.  Have  this  two  feet 
high  at  the  north  end  and  one  foot  at  the  south  end,  the 
sides  sloping  uniformly.  Face  the  upper  edge  of  the 
lower  end  with  a  dressed  strip  on  which  the  lower  end 
of  the  sash  should  fit  closely.  Face  the  edges  of  the  side 
plank  with  dressed  strips  on  which  the  sash  may  slide 
smoothly  and  protect  with  another  strip  which  shall 
reach  to  the  upper  edge  of  the  sash.  These  side  strips 
should  extend  the  length  of  the  sash  north  of  the  bed, 
to  support  it  when  open.  Where  side  or  end  planks  join, 
the  edges  should  be  protected  by  a  strip  of  building 
paper  and  a  two -inch  wooden  strip  nailed  over  it.     The 


80 


Southern    Gardener^s    Practical   Manual 


heat  will  be  retained  better  and  the  cold  air  excluded  if 
soil  is  banked  around  the  lower  part  of  the  plank. 
When  the  frame  is  completed  and  placed  over  the  ma- 
nure, fill  in  to  the  depth  of  four  inches  with  sifted,  dark 
sandy  loam  and  put  on  the  sash.  In  three  or  four  days 
the  seed  may  be  sown  in  shallow  trenches  six  inches 
apart  and  covered  about  one -half  inch  deep.  Water 
gently  and  put  on  the  sash.  If  warm  in  the  middle 
of  the  day,  give  air  by  placing  a  block  under  the 
upper  end  of  the  sash.  Keep  the  surface  moist  but  not 
wet,  by  sprinkling  with  a  watering-pot  having  a  very 
fine  rose.  As  soon  as  the  plants  appear  above  ground, 
give  air  in  the  middle  of  bright  sunny  days  unless 
positively  cold.  The  temperature  should  not  be  al- 
lowed  to    fall    below    60°   nor   to    rise    above    75°.     A 


I'll..  2.     Lettuce  in  cold-frame,  January  15 


The    Use   of  Hotbeds   and    Coldframes  31 

half -row  each  of  eggplant  and  pepper  and  one  row  of 
tomatoes  will  produce  enough  plants  for  the  family 
garden.  As  soon  as  the  plants  form  one  true  leaf  or,  as 
commonly  expressed,  the  third  leaf,  transplant  to  the 
unoccupied  part  of  the  bed  two  inches  apart  each  way. 
In  excessively  cold  spells,  cover  the  sash  with  mats  or 
old  sacks  at  night.  Cabbage,  cauliflower  and  lettuce 
may  be  started  in  the  part  of  the  bed  not  occupied  by 
tomatoes,  eggplant  and  peppers.  Since  the  former  will 
vegetate  more  promptly  than  the  latter,  they  may  be 
transplanted  to  a  coldframe  before  the  space  is  needed 
by  the  other  more  tender  plants.  These  more  hardy 
plants  may  be  started  in  a  coldframe  and  will  be  thus 
less  tender  than  if  started  in  the  hotbed. 

The  coldframe  is  made  in  the  same  way  as  that  for 
the  hotbed,  but  is  placed  over  finely  pulverized,  well- 
fertilized  soil  without  the  manure  for  bottom  heat. 
Abundant  coldframe  space  will  be  found  both  con- 
venient and  profitable  even  for  the  family  garden.  It  is 
convenient  for  hardening  tender  plants  before  trans- 
planting and  for  growing  lettuce,  radishes,  cauliflower, 
parsley,  etc.,  for  the  table  during  winter. 

Cantaloupes,  cucumbers,  squashes  and  watermelons 
may  be  started  in  these  frames,  planted  in  two -inch 
pots,  sunk  in  the  soil  of  the  coldframe,  and  thus  escape 
both  the  frost  and  the  attack  of  insects  and,  transplanted 
from  the  pots,  yield  fruit  two  to  three  weeks  earlier  than 
from  seed  planted  in  the  open  ground. 

Economy  is  practised  by  building  the  walls  of  the 
hotbed  and  coldframe  of  brick  four  inches  thick  and 
facing   the    top   with   2x4   scantling.     Pieces   of    the 


32  Southern    Gardener's    Practical   Manual 

same  material  fitted  across  where  the  edges  of  the  sash 
meet,  serve  the  double  purpose  of  affording  slides  for  the 
sash  and  strengthening  the  sides  of  the  wall.  I  have 
used  one  constructed  in  this  way  for  seven  years.  One 
cross  wall  inclosing  one  sash  space,  or  two  if  desired, 
may  be  used  as  a  hotbed  and  the  balance  as  a  cold- 
frame.  If  glass  is  considered  too  costly,  cloth,  made  for 
this  purpose,  may  be  used  with  reasonably  good  results. 
No  garden  is  complete  without  a  liberal  area  under 
coldframes.  Many  species  of  plants  grown  in  the  flower 
yard  may  be  started  in  the  frame  and  thus  brought  for- 
ward for  early  blooming.  Early  violets  sell  for  a  cent 
each  in  cities.  They  are  thus  very  profitably  forwarded 
in  the  coldframe. 

GARDEN  TOOLS  AND  IMPLEMENTS 

First -class  work  cannot  be  done  without  proper 
equipment  in  tools  and  implements.  Working  with  poor 
tools  is  poor  economy. 

If  the  turnplow  is  used  in  breaking  squares  or  paral- 
lelograms, commence  in  the  center.  Establish  the  center 
by  sighting  diagonally  from  corner  to  corner.  Where 
these  diagonals  meet  is  the  geometrical  center  of  the 
area.  If  it  is  square,  begin  at  the  center,  preserving  the 
square  form  until  the  whole  area  is  broken.  By  this 
means  neither  the  team  nor  the  plowman  tramps  the 
broken  soil,  while  by  the  old  method,  all  turning  at  the 
corners  is  done  on  the  broken  land  and  the  bed  is  left 
lower  in  the  center  than  at  the  sides,  with  a  depression 
leading   from   the  center  to   each  corner  if   the  lot  is 


Garden    Tools   and   Implements  33 

square,  and  a  dead  furrow  in  addition  in  the  middle  if 
a  parallelogram.  After  the  center  of  the  oblong  form  is 
established,  measure  from  this  to  the  long  sides  and  let 
the  first  furrow  pass  through  the  center  and  extend  on 
each  side  of  it  the  distance  of  the  center  from  the  long 
sides,  measured  from  the  short  sides.  The  first  furrow 
will  then  be  the  same  distance  in  all  its  parts  from  each 
side  of  the  parallelogram.  It  will  not  be  necessary,  how- 
ever, to  turn  the  land  unless  it  is  covered  with  manure 
or  other  vegetable  matter,  which  it  is  desirable  to  incor- 
porate with  the  soil.  If  there  is  nothing  on  the  land  to 
be  turned  under,  a  long  bull- tongue,  properly  used,  will 
deeply  stir  and  sufficiently  pulverize  the  soil.  If  small 
seeds  are  to  be  planted,  a  smoothing -harrow  or  drag 
should  follow  the  plow.  An  excellent  drag  is  made  by 
connecting  half  a  dozen  logs,  six  inches  in  diameter  and 
four  feet  long,  by  a  trace  chain  passed  through  an  auger 
hole  at  each  end.  This  makes  a  better  drag  than  one 
made  of  2  x  6  boards  rigidly  fastened  together  like 
weather -boarding,  since,  being  flexible,  it  conforms  to 
the  surface  of  the  soil  better.  If  the  land  breaks  up  into 
clods,  it  should  be  rolled  and  then  stirred  with  a  disk  or 
cutaway  harrow.  The  roller  presses  the  clods  into  the 
soft  surface,  so  that  the  harrow  cuts  them  instead  of 
merely  rolling  them  around  without  crushing  them. 

Before  planting  seed  in  the  garden,  the  soil  should 
be  repeatedly  plowed  and  harrowed,  stirring  as  deeply 
as  possible  and  pulverizing  until  no  clods  as  large  as  a 
guinea  Q^g  can  be  seen.  If  the  garden  is  not  trenched 
or  underdrained,  it  should  be  subsoiled  as  deeply  as  a 
strong  team  can  pull  the  plow.    Such  treatment  enables 


34  Southern    Gardener^s    Practical   Mammal 

the  soil  to  absorb  surplus  water  from  excessive  rainfall 
and  restore  it  by  capillary  action  to  the  plants  in  periods 
of  drought. 

Straight  rows. — The  appearance  of  the  garden  is 
improved  by  having  the  plants  grow  in  accurately 
straight  rows.  Besides,  the  plants  are  more  easily  culti- 
vated when  thus  planted. 

The  drill -marker  enables  the  gardener  to  lay  off  all 
the  rows  straight  and  absolutely  the  same  distance 
apart.  This  is  easily  made  with  the  tools  that  should  be 
found  in  every  gardener's  collection,  viz. :  a  hand-saw,  a 
brace  with  bits  ranging  in  size  from  one  inch  down  to 
the  gimlet,  a  square  and  a  drawing  knife.  It  consists  of  a 
piece  of  lumber  2  inches  x  2  inches  x  6  feet,  into  which 
one-inch  holes  are  bored  twelve  inches  apart.  Pins  made 
of  some  hard  wood  are  inserted  in  these  holes,  alternate 
pins  extending  through  so  as  to  form  a  double  marker, 
one  side  marking  drills  one  foot  apart  and  the  other 
two  feet  apart.  The  first  row  is  marked  b}'  a  line  on  the 
garden  reel  or  simply  tied  to  two  common  stakes.  The 
outside  tooth  of  the  marker  is  drawn  in  this  guide 
furrow  and,  returning,  it  follows  the  outside  one,  and  so 
on  to  the  completion  of  the  area.  The  marker  should 
have  two  shafts  rigidly  fastened  to  it  and  properly 
braced.  This  prevents  wobbling  and  secures  straight 
rows.  The  same  tool  may  be  used  to  check  across  those 
rows  to  insure  having  the  plants  uniformly  distributed 
along  the  drills. 

The  push- ploiv  has  become  an  indispensable  implement 
in  both  the  domestic  and  the  commercial  garden.  The 
simplest  and  most  useful  form  consists  of  handles  like 


Garden    Tools   and   Implements  35 

an  ordinary  horse -plow,  but  at  the  opposite  end  of  what 
would  be  the  beam  is  a  light  iron  wheel  two  to  three  feet 
in  diameter.  The  foot  is  of  iron,  resembling  on  a  smaller 
scale  the  foot  of  the  scooter -stock  to  which  the  different 
plows  are  attached.  Accompanying  the  stock  are  the 
following  hoes,  which  can 
be  attached  by  heel -pin 
to  the  foot,  according  to 
the  work  to  be  done.  For 
cultivating  very  small 
plants,  a  rake -like  foot  is 


Fig.  3. 
Garden  or  push-plow 


used.  To  follow  this,  as  the  plants  increase  in  size,  is  a 
small  sweep.  There  should  be  two  of  these,  differing  in 
width.  A  reversible  scooter,  twice  as  wide  at  one  end 
as  at  the  other,  is  useful  for  deeper  cultivation. 

A  small  turn -plow  for  opening  furrows  or  throwing 
soil  to  larger  plants  is  also  used.  A  two -winged  shovel 
for  opening  furrows  for  planting  at  a  single  trip  should 
be  added.    After  the  land  has  been  broken  and  pulver- 


36  Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

ized,  nearly  all  of  the  work  of  preparing  for  planting  and 
cultivating  the  crops  may  be  done  with  this  plow.  It  is 
cheap,  convenient,  efficient  and  durable.  I  have  had  one 
in  regular  use  for  ten  years. 

The  seed-drill,  of  which  there  are  several  on  the  mar- 
ket, saves  time  and  seed  and  secures  accurate  distribu- 
tion of  the  seed  the  proper  distance  in  the  row.  The 
"Mathis"  is  the  most  satisfactory  that  I  have  used.  It 
contains  a  vernier  containing  the  names  of  common  veg- 
etables and  an  indicator  which  adjusts  the  valve  to  the 
size  of  the  seed,  w^ith  convenient  movable  gauge,  which  is 
of  great  service,  especially  to  the  inexperienced.  It  has 
also  a  most  convenient  attachment  for  opening  and  closing 
the  seed  escape.  This  is  done  by  means  of  a  thumb -rod 
extending  along  the  handle  of  the  plow,  enabling  the 
plowman  to  open  or  shut  the  valve  at  will  and  instantly. 

The  Warren,  or  V  hoe,  is  the  best  tool  of  its  class. 

The  steel  garden -rake  is  an  indispensable  tool,  both  in 
preparation  of  the  seed-bed  and  in  cultivation  after  rains 
to  prevent  the  formation  of  crust  on  the  surface  and  at 
the  same  time  preventing  the  germination  of  grass  and 
weed  seed.  That  with  the  handle  fastened  by  a  steel  bow 
attached  to  the  ends  of  the  rake  is  the  best. 

The  potato -hoe,  or  hoe -fork,  is  a  very  useful  tool, 
since  it  is  adapted  to  so  many  different  kinds  of  work. 
This  has  four  flattened  tines,  each  half  an  inch  wide  and 
six  or  seven  inches  long.  One  can  perform  nearly  all 
kinds  of  work  required  in  the  garden  with  this  tool,  from 
the  preparation  of  the  land  to  harvesting  the  crop.  If 
the  push -plow  and  the  rake  are  judiciously  used,  very 
little  hoeing  is  required. 


A    Soil   Mulch   Is   of  Practical   Benefit  37 

The  garden -rake  should  have  the  handle  six  feet 
long,  and  while  in  use  it  should  be  held  near  the  end  of 
the  handle  in  order  to  give  full  play  to  the  teeth.  It 
should  be  alternately  pushed  and  pulled,  both  in  pre- 
paring the  seed-bed  and  cultivating  the  plants.  If  the 
surface  about  the  plants  is  raked  as  soon  after  each  rain 
as  the  soil  is  in  condition  to  be  cultivated,  very  little 
other  cultivation  will  be  required,  and  less  rain  will  be 
needed  to  produce  satisfactory  crops.  This  is  true  also 
of  field  crops,  the  horse -cultivator  or  heel -scrape  taking 
the  place  of  the  rake  in  the  garden. 

Soil  Mulch. — We  often  resort  to  the  expensive  process 
of  mulching  our  plants  with  straw  to  retain  moisture 
during  the  summer.  This  is  practicable  only  on  a  small 
scale,  while  the  whole  garden  or  the  whole  field  may  be 
as  effectively  mulched  with  pulverized  soil  by  stirring 
the  surface  two  inches  deep  after  each  rain,  preventing 
the  formation  of  a  crust,  breaking  the  capillary  tubes 
through  which,  if  undisturbed,  the  moisture  rises  and 
escapes  into  the  air.  This  acts  on  the  same  principle  as 
the  straw  mulch,  and  is  more  satisfactory.  The  straw 
retains  the  soil  moisture  by  checking  its  evaporation. 
The  soil  mulch  acts  as  a  blanket  does  on  the  horse  when 
he  comes  in  from  a  drive  wet  with  sweat.  The  blanket 
checks  the  evaporation  from  the  body  of  the  animal  and 
thus  prevents  sudden  cooling,  with  its  possible  injurious 
effects.  The  soil  mulch  acts  as  a  blanket  in  preventing 
the  evaporation  of  moisture  from  the  surface  of  the  soil, 
retaining  it  beneath  the  mulch,  where  it  serves  to  dissolve 
the  plant -food  and  convey  it  into  the  circulation  of  the 
plant. 


38  Southern    Gardener^ s    Practical   Manual 

An  analysis  of  the  soil  to  the  depth  of  six  inches  from 
two  plots  under  identical  conditions  except  that  one  was 
cultivated  shallow  after  a  rain  while  the  other  was  not, 
one  having  the  soil  mulch  on  the  surface  while  a  crust 
covered  the  other,  showed  that  there  was  twice  as  much 
moisture  under  the  mulch  as  there  was  under  the  crust. 

The  weeder,  the  smoothing -harrow  or  the  heel -scrape 
will  produce  the  mulch  on  a  large  scale — the  garden- 
rake  or  the  push -plow  on  a  small  area.  Stir  the  soil 
after  every  rain  and  hold  the  moisture. 

INSECTS— FRIENDS   AND   ENEMIES 

It  is  too  common  for  gardeners  to  regard  all  insects 
as  enemies.  The  friendly  little  lady-bug  is  too  often 
the  victim  of  such  ignorance.  There  are  some  families, 
however,  which  are  all  injurious  in  some  form  of  their  ex- 
istence, and  quite  a  number  of  beetles  that  are  destructive 
in  both  the  larval  and  the  perfect  stage.  All  butterflies 
and  moths  are  destructive  in  the  larval  stage,  the  parent 
doing  no  harm  except  to  lay  eggs  which  hatch  the 
destroyers.  Every  gardener  should  learn  enough  about 
insect  life  to  distinguish  friends  from  foes  and  the  most 
effective  means  of  combating  the  latter.  It  is  not  my 
intention  to  discuss  insects  in  a  general  way,  but  I  will 
take  up  the  more  common  kinds  injurious  to  garden 
vegetables,  as  the  latter  come  under  consideration  later 
on.  A  spray  calendar  will  be  found  on  page  204,  which 
gives  detailed  instructions  for  combating  the  various 
insect  pests  and  fungous  diseases  that  attack  our  vege- 
tables and  fruits. 


PART   II 

SPECIES    AND    VARIETIES    OF    VEGETABLES 

We  now  come  to  the  gardener's  manual  proper.  In 
this  part  will  be  found  a  brief  discussion  of  the  origin, 
history,  characteristics,  cultivation,  gathering,  insect 
enemies  and  fungous  diseases  of  the  economic  vege- 
tables, and  suggestions  as  to  the  manner  of  using  each. 
Owing  to  the  great  variety  of  soil  and  climatic  condi- 
tions prevailing  in  our  great  country,  it  is  not  practica- 
ble to  prepare  a  manual  adapted  to  all  parts  of  our  ter- 
ritory. The  contents  of  this  book  are  derived  almost 
exclusively  from  my  personal  experience  in  four  of  the 
southern  states,  extending  over  a  period  of  fifty  years. 
For  convenience  of  reference,  the  vegetables  will  be 
discussed  in  alphabetical  order.  Technical  terms  will  be 
avoided  as  far  as  possible. 

ARTICHOKE 

The  Globe,  sometimes  called  Bur  artichoke,  is  culti- 
vated for  its  flower-heads  and  blanched  leaves.  This  is 
a  coarse,  thistle -like  perennial.  On  account  of  its  showy 
leaves  and  flowers,  it  is  more  frequently  found  in  the 
flower-garden  in  this  country  than  in  the  garden.  The 
flower -heads  under  good  cultivation  are   three  to  five 

(39) 


40  Southern    Gardener^ s    Practical   Manual 

inches  across  at  the  edible  stage.  In  America,  it  is 
usually  propagated  from  seed,  which  may  be  sown  under 
glass  in  early  spring  and  the  plants  transplanted,  or  it 
may  be  sown  in  the  open  ground  as  early  as  the  frost  is 
out  of  the  soil. 

To  secure  large  flower -heads  or  buds,  the  plants 
should  be  left  not  nearer  than  two  feet  apart  in  the 
drill,  nor  should  the  rows  be  less  than  four  feet  apart. 
The  plants  produce  few  heads  the  first  year  but,  being 
hardy  in  our  latitude,  continue  fruiting  for  four  years, 
when  they  begin  to  fail  and  should  be  renewed.  Edible 
heads  are  secured  more  promptly  from  suckers  trans- 
planted from  the  base  of  the  stalk,  and  the  variety  is 
more  accurately  reproduced  in  this  way  than  from  seed, 
though  the  latter  produces  stronger  plants. 

The  artichoke  is  a  gross  feeder  and  hence  requires 
not  only  a  moist,  fertile  soil  but  liberal  manuring  annu- 
ally. Wood  ashes  are  considered  a  special  fertilizer  for 
it.  From  six  to  twelve  suckers  are  produced  at  the  base 
of  each  plant.  If  large,  edible  heads  are  desired,  all  of 
the  suckers  except  three  should  be  removed,  care  being 
exercised  not  to  injure  the  main  crown  in  removing 
them.  If  all  of  the  heads  except  that  on  the  center  stalk 
are  removed,  this  will  attain  unusual  size.  Since  this  plant 
is  so  easily  grown  and  continues  in  successful  bearing 
four  or  five  years,  it  should  receive  more  attention  than 
in  the  past. 

Select  a  few  of  the  finest  early  heads,  allow  them 
to  mature,  and  save  the  seed.  An  ounce  of  seed  will 
plant  as  much  as  will  be  desired  for  a  family  supply. 

The  half -grown   heads  are  often   used   for  pickles. 


Olohe    and   Jerusalem    Artichokes  41 

The  large  heads  are  gathered,  just  before  the  florets 
appear,  and  boiled.  The  leaves,  or  scales,  are  torn  off 
and  the  enlarged,  fleshy  part  dipped  into  melted  butter, 
seasoned  with  salt  and  pepper  and  served.  The  base 
or  receptacle  is  also  sliced,  seasoned  and  served.  The 
receptacle  and  the  tender  blanched  leaves  are  used 
for  salad. 

THE  JERUSALEM  ARTICHOKE 

The  Jerusalem  artichoke  abbreviated  by  the  gardener 
into  "chokes,"  is  much  more  generally  grown  in  the 
South  than  the  "Globe."  It  will  be  observed  growing 
about  the  fences  of  old  gardens,  as  a  volunteer.  It  is  a 
perennial,  sunflower-like  plant  which  is  grown  for  its 
potato -like  tubers,  which  remain  in  the  ground  through 
the  winter  and  vegetate  in  early  spring.  There  is  a  wild 
variety  found  growing  in  the  rich  alluvial  soil  along  the 
vSeneca  River.  This  resembles  the  cultivated  variety  in 
its  above-ground  growth,  but  is  not  so  prolific  as 
the  cultivated  variety  and  the  tubers  are  uniformly 
small. 

We  have  few  crops  which  produce  such  enormous 
yields  as  this  Jerusalem  artichoke.  The  White  variety 
yielded,  in  the  agricultural  class  grounds  of  Clemson 
College,  544  bushels  per  acre  and  at  the  experiment 
grounds,  540  bushels.  The  tubers  were  dug  from  these 
areas  with  potato  hoes  and  an  effort  made  to  get  them 
all  from  the  ground,  and  yet  those  left  came  broadcast 
over  the  land  the  next  spring. 

The  variety  bearing  red  tubers,  known  as  Brazilian 
artichokes,  is  even  more  prolific  than  the  White.    The 


42  Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Mamial 

tubers  may  be  planted  whole  or  cut,  as  is  practiced  with 
Irish  potatoes.  A  rich,  sandy  loam,  deeply  prepared  and 
free  from  stone  or  pebble,  is  best  suited  to  this  crop. 
They  should  be  planted  in  rows  in  a  low  bed,  as  with 
potatoes,  covering  the  tubers  three  inches.  The  plants 
should  stand  eighteen  inches  apart  in  the  row,  and  the 
rows  four  feet  apart.  Cultivate  shallow,  as  for  cotton, 
but  retaining  the  beds.  A  peculiarity  of  this  plant  is 
the  fact  that  the  tubers  continue  to  grow  after  the  plant 
above  ground  has  died.  In  the  vicinity  of  Clemson  Col- 
lege, S.  C,  the  tubers  are  not  fully  grown  and  matured 
until  the  last  of  November.  While  this  plant  will 
produce  paying  crops  under  neglectful  treatment,  it  re- 
sponds most  liberally  to  high  feeding  and  thorough  cul- 
tivation. 

It  may  be  boiled  and  used  as  potatoes,  as  a  cold  salad, 
and  is  highly  esteemed  for  pickle.  The  tubers  keep 
better  in  the  ground  than  stored.  Besides  being  desir- 
able as  a  garden  esculent,  there  is  no  other  crop  which 
will  produce  so  cheaply  or  so  abundantly  a  hog  food 
which  need  not  be  harvested.  They  are  utilized  by 
giving  the  hogs  the  run  of  the  field  through  the  winter. 

ASPARAGUS 

Supposed  to  be  a  native  of  southern  Europe,  and  was 
cultivated  by  the  Romans  150  j^ears  before  Christ.  Con- 
over's  Colossal,  Palmetto,  Barr's  Mammoth  and  Colum- 
bian Mammoth  are  offered  in  the  seedsmen's  catalogues. 
These  are,  no  doubt,  of  the  same  origin,  but  varied 
climatic  and  cultural  conditions  are  responsible  for  their 


Growing   Asparagus  from   Seed 


43 


divergent  forms.  Columbian  White  seems  to  have  legit- 
imate claim  to  be  classed  as  a  distinct  variety  on 
account  of  the  uniform  white  color  of  its  young  shoots. 
Asparagus  is  propagated  by  seed.  The  seed  may  be 
planted  on  thoroughly  prepared  land  in  shallow  furrows 
twelve  to  twenty -four  inches  apart.  Sow  thinly  and 
cover  from   one-half  to  one  inch  in  early  spring.    As 


Fig.  4.     One-year-old  asparagus  root. 

soon  as  the  plants  are  well  established,  thin  to  three  to 
six  inches  in  the  drill  and  cultivate  thoroughly  through- 
out the  growing  season.  The  plants  will  be  ready  to  be 
transplanted  to  permanent  rows  in  the  fall  or  at  any 
time  during  the  winter  until  the  following  March. 
To  transplant,   trench  out  deep  furrows  with  two- 


44  Southern    Oardener\s    Practical    Manual 

horse  plow,  fill  these  half  full  of  well -rotted  manure  or 
compost.  Apply  with  this,  acid  phosphate  at  the  rate 
of  500  pounds  per  acre,  kainit  at  the  same  rate,  and 
dried  blood,  or  No.  1  tankage,  at  the  rate  of  400  pounds 
per  acre.  Mix  these  by  running  several  times  in  the 
row  a  long,  narrow  bull-tongue  plow,  leaving  the  center 
slightly  higher  than  the  sides  of  the  furrow.  Set  the 
crowns  of  roots  of  the  young  plants  on  this  elevation 
two  feet  apart,  spreading  the  roots  in  their  natural  form. 
Cover  the  crowns  with  four  to  six  inches  of  mellow 
loam.  Gradually  fill  the  furrow  to  the  surface  level. 
Well- grown  plants  of  one  season's  growth  are  preferred 
to  those  of  greater  age. 

A  better  plan  is  to  prepare  the  trenches  as  directed, 
and,  instead  of  transplanting  the  young  crowns,  sow  the 
seed  very  thinly  in  the  furrow  and  thin  to  two  feet  in 
the  drill.  As  the  young  plants  grow,  draw  soil  to  them 
until  the  trench  is  filled.  Fully  one  year  will  be  gained 
in  this  way  over  growing  the  plants  in  the  nurserj^  row 
and  transplanting  the  crowns. 

The  old  method  of  planting  in  beds  is  no  longer 
practiced,  since  superior  shoots  may  be  more  conve- 
niently and  cheaply  grown  in  rows. 

If  grown  for  market,  there  are  several  advantages  in 
cutting  six  or  eight  inches  under  ground.  First,  the 
crowns  are  earlier  relieved  of  the  tax  of  supporting  the 
shoots;  second,  since  the  shoots  diminish  in  size 
rapidly  above  ground,  the  grower  harvests  a  much  lar- 
ger yield  per  acre;  third,  the  white  stalks  make  a  more 
attractive  package,  and,  being  covered  with  hard  woody 
tissue,  the  white  shoots  bear  transportation  better.  Some 


Cultivation   of  the   Asparagus   Bed  45 

markets,  however,  prefer  the  green  shoots  cut  above 
ground,  and  the  grower  must  accommodate  his  practice 
to  the  demands  of  the  market.  For  family  use,  the 
green  shoots  are  preferred. 

For  cutting  the  white  shoots,  a  knife  is  made  for  the 
purpose,  but  it  may  be  done  with  any  knife  having  a 
strong,  long  blade.  Care  must  be  exercised  not  to 
destroy  young  shoots  just  starting,  nor  to  injure  the 
crowns.  If  green  shoots  are  desired,  the  crowns  need 
not  be  covered  so  deeply.  If  covered  only  a  few  inches, 
cuttings  may  be  had  much  earlier  than  from  deeply  cov- 
ered crowns.  The  beds  should  have  a  south  or  south- 
east exposure. 

No  cuttings  should  be  made  from  the  first  year's 
growth,  but  all  plants  left  to  assist  in  a  fall  root  devel- 
opment. As  soon  as  the  plants  above  ground  are  killed 
by  frost,  the  stalks  should  be  cut  close  to  the  ground 
and  removed,  to  prevent  seed  from  falling.  These,  if  left 
to  fall  on  the  ground,  become  troublesome  weeds  the 
next  year. 

The  asparagus  plant  is  a  gross  feeder,  and  there  is  no 
danger  of  excessive  manuring.  The  whole  surface  may 
now  be  covered  with  manure,  to  be  worked  into  the  soil 
over  and  between  the  rows  early  in  February.  The 
proper  cultivation  will  be  encouraged  if  some  quick- 
growing  crops  are  planted  between  the  rows  the  first 
and  second  years.  Early  cabbage  transplanted  early  in 
February,  beets,  bunch  beans,  lettuce  or  radishes  are 
suitable  crops  for  this  purpose.  A  few  strong  shoots 
may  be  cut  the  second  year  if  all  small  shoots  are  left  to 
grow  to  sustain  the  roots.    Cutting,  however,  must  be 


46  Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

done  very  sparingly  and  for  only  a  short  season.  After 
the  intercultural  crops  are  gathered,  surface  cultivation 
must  be  continued  until  fall,  the  stalks  again  cut  and 
removed  and  a  covering  of  manure  two  inches  deep 
sown  over  the  whole  bed.  A  dressing  of  200  pounds 
of  nitrate  of  soda  per  acre,  applied  in  February  when  the 
manure  is  worked  into  the  soil,  will  increase  the  size 
and  vigor  of  the  shoots.  The  third  spring,  the  plants 
now  having  sufficient  strength  to  bear  it,  all  shoots  may 
be  cut  until  green  peas  are  ready  for  use,  when  all 
growth  should  be  allowed  to  remain  but  cultivation 
continued  until  the  plants  fully  occupy  the  land.  A  bed 
properly  cared  for  should  last  twenty  years.  No  garden 
is  complete  without  this  delicious  and  wholesome  vege- 
table. Asparagus  is  one  of  the  most  profitable  market 
crops  grown.  It  ships  well  and  is  always  in  demand  in 
its  season  in  our  large  cities.  Male  plants  produce  larger 
shoots  than  the  female  and  are  more  desirable  in  garden 
or  fields. 

Asparagus  is  a  dioecious  plant,  having  flowers  contain- 
ing the  female  organs  of  reproduction  on  one  plant  and 
those  bearing  the  stamens  or  male  organs  on  another. 
To  save  seed,  cut  carefully  the  best  plants  bearing  the 
red  berries;  mash  and  wash  the  pulp  from  these.  This 
may  be  poured  off  with  the  water,  the  seed  settling  to 
the  bottom.  After  drying  thoroughly,  store  them  and 
they  will  be  good  for  four  years. 

The  only  serious  fungous  disease  is  the  asparagus 
rust.  In  localities  subject  to  this  disease,  the  old  stalks, 
together  with  all  spontaneous  growths,  are  burned  on  the 
fields.     At  one  time,  the  crops  of  some  sections  were 


Pole,  or   Running,  and   Dwarf  Beans  47 

seriously  threatened  by  the  attack  of  the  asparagus 
beetle.  The  twelve-spotted  asparagus  beetle  is  also  an 
enemy,  but  does  no  serious  damage. 

The  tender  shoots  which  put  forth  with  the  first 
advent  of  spring  are  the  parts  used.  These  are  boiled 
and  served  with  butter  on  toast,  or  boiled  and  seasoned 
with  butter  and  served  as  other  vegetables  are.  It  is 
also  very  popular  served  in  soups.  It  has  valuable 
medicinal  properties  and  is  often  prescribed  by  physi- 
cians on  account  of  its  diuretic  properties.  Common  salt 
is  supposed  to  be  especially  beneficial  to  asparagus,  since 
its  native  habitat  is  along  the  seacoast.  This  is 
indicated  also  by  analysis,  which  shows  a  large  percen- 
tage of  sodium  and  chlorine.  Nitrogen  is  especially  ini- 
portant,  since  its  most  important  office  in  the  plant 
economy  is  to  increase  the  growth  of  the  stalk  and 
leaves,  thus  forcing  forward  the  part  for  which  this  vege- 
table is  cultivated.  A  supply  of  humus  is  necessary  to 
keep  the  soil  over  the  crowns  porous. 

BEANS 

I 

These  are  annual  legumes  that  have  been  grown  for 
their  edible  pods  or  shelled  beans,  both  green  and 
dry,  by  English-speaking  people  for  four  hundred  years. 
Those  which  are  grown  for  their  edible  pods  are  known 
as  snap  or  string  beans. 

Some  varieties  of  these  are  pole  or  running  beans, 
while  others  have  a  dwarf  or  bunch  habit  of  growth. 
Varieties  are  numerous.  One  seedsman  catalogues  thirty- 
two  varieties  of  snap   beans  alone.    The   Valentine,  of 


48  Southern    Gardener\s   Practical   Mannal 

which  there  are  many  popular  strains,  is  the  most  popu- 
lar variety  for  the  garden  and  the  truck  farm.  Some  of 
the  wax  varieties  are  very  popular,  such  as  Blach  Wax, 
Kidney  Wax,  Refugee,  Butter  Wax,  Golden  Wax,  Valen- 
tine Wax  and  Lima  Wax,  but  these  are  more  subject  to 
fungous  diseases  than  the  green -pod  varieties.  This 
vegetable  has  been  bred  up  to  such  perfection  that  all 
varieties  are  satisfactory.  Of  the  pole  varieties,  the  old 
Creasehack,  sometimes  termed  ^^ Fat-horse,"  though  it  has 
been  in  cultivation  more  than  a  century,  is  still  a 
popular  variety.  Lazy  Wife  is  another  deservedly  popu- 
lar sort,  being  exceedingly  prolific  of  large,  long  pods 
and  retaining  its  snap -short  quality  until  the  beans  are 
grown.  Southern  Prolific  is  another  very  popular  variety 
which  is  grown  extensively  in  corn-fields,  the  stalks  of 
corn  serving  in  the  place  of  poles. 

The  bunch  or  dwarf  varieties  may  be  planted  as  early 
in  spring  as  the  frost  is  out  of  the  ground.  For  the  first 
planting,  the  danger  of  the  seed  rotting  in  the  ground 
will  be  avoided  by  raising  the  seed-bed  a  few  inches 
above  the  general  level.  The  bed  will  afford  drainage, 
the  effect  of  which,  besides  drying  the  so".l,  will  be  to 
admit  the  air,  which  is  warmer  in  spring  than  the  soil. 
Sow  thickly  in  drills,  covering  two  inches  deep,  and  cul- 
tivate shallow,  drawing  a  little  soil  to  the  plants  in  the 
early  cultivation.  Some  books  advise  thinning  to  six  or 
eight  inches  in  the  drill,  but  my  experience  and  observa- 
tion teach  that  thick  planting  in  the  drill  gives  better 
results.  The  drills  need  not  be  more  than  two  feet 
apart.  A  pint  of  beans  will  plant  one  hundred  feet  of 
row,  and  this  will  be  enough  for  one  planting  for  an 


The    Three    Classes   of  Lima   Beans  49 

average  family.  Repeated  plantings  at  intervals  of  three 
weeks  may  be  made  until  the  first  of  September.  Many 
prefer  the  pole  beans  for  the  fall  crop.  The  Creaseback 
variety  planted  in  the  early  spring,  if  regularly  picked, 
to  relieve  the  drain  upon  the  vines,  will  continue  in 
bearing  until  frost.  Let  a  part  of  the  crop  ripen  on  the 
vines,  and  harvest  for  use  as  dry  shelled  beans  during 
the  winter.  Neither  beans  nor  any  other  vine -growing 
plant  should  be  cultivated  while  the  leaves  are  wet.  If 
the  fine  soil  adheres  to  the  leaves,  they  will  rust. 

LIMA   BEANS 

Lima  beans,  like  the  snap -shorts,  are  grown  in  two 
styles — bush  and  pole.  Bailey,  in  his  admirable  work, 
"Cyclopedia  of  American  Horticulture,"  makes  three 
classes,  viz. :  Large  Lima,  Dreer's  Lima  and  Small  Lima 
or  Sieva.  Each  of  these  has  the  bunch  and  running  type. 
The  oldest  of  the  three  strains  is  the  Small  Carolina,  or 
Sieva,  which  is  smaller  than  the  others  but  more  hardy, 
and  continues  in  bearing  throughout  the  growling  season. 
It  was  long  cultivated  in  the  southern  states  as  a  climber 
before  Henderson  produced  the  bush  type.  There  is  no 
appreciable  difference  between  the  size  or  quality  of  the 
beans  from  the  bush  and  the  vine  type.  The  advantages 
in  favor  of  the  bunch  strain  are  that  they  are  earlier  and 
more  prolific  and  do  not  need  the  poles.  If  the  beans  are 
not  allowed  to  ripen,  either  strain  wnll  continue  in  bear- 
ing until  frost.  The  beans  are  small,  clear  wiiite  in  color 
and  of  good  quality.  As  dry-shelled  beans,  they  make  a 
pleasant  and  very  nutritious  winter  vegetable.    The  two 


50  Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

larger  types  are  decided  improvements  in  the  matter  of 
size  and  quality  over  the  smaller  type,  which  is  known 
under  the  names  of  Carolina,  Small  Lima,  Butter  and 
Sieva  in  the  southern  states.  Of  the  pole  varieties  of  the 
large  lima,  the  most  popular  are  Seiberfs  Early,  Wood^s 
Improved,  Ford\s  Mammoth  Podded,  Large  White,  Salem 
Improved,  Panmure  Extra- Early  and  Dreer^s  Improved. 
Of  the  bush  types  of  the  large  varieties,  Wood^s  Prolific, 
Burpee^ s  Bush  and  Thorhurn\s  are  standard,  but  none  of 
them  are  so  early,  prolific  or  reliable  as  Henderson^s 
Small  Bush  Lima.  The  lima  should  be  used  more  as  a 
shelled  bean  in  winter  than  is  practiced  in  the  South. 
The  legume  known  as  the  cow-pea  of  the  South,  is  really 
a  bean,  and  some  of  the  varieties  should  be  cultivated  in 
the  garden  as  table  beans.  Of  these,  the  Large  Black 
Eye,  the  Small  Black  Eye,  the  Mush  and  the  running 
variety  of  the  Lady  are  excellent  gathered  when  the  beans 
are  just  fully  grown  and  boiled  with  meat. 

Lima  beans  require  a  higher  temperature  for  germi- 
nation than  the  Kidney  beans,  and  hence  must  not  be 
planted  until  the  soil  has  been  warmed  in  late  spring. 
Even  then  it  is  best  to  plant  upon  beds  raised  above  the 
surrounding  soil.  They  require  a  fertile  soil  and  good 
cultivation.  Bush  Lima  beans  are  planted  and  cultivated 
in  the  same  manner  commonly  practiced  with  the  bush 
snap  beans.  A  substantial  trellis  or  strongly  set  poles 
must  be  provided  to  support  the  pole  varieties.  They 
will  produce  better  on  poles  than  on  a  trellis,  on  account 
of  better  exposure  to  the  sun.  The  beds  should  be  pre- 
pared and  the  poles  set  firmly  into  the  soil  three  feet 
apart  and  the  seed   planted    around  them.    When  the 


Poles   and    Trellises  for  Lima  Beans  51 

plants  are  well  established,  thin  to  three  in  the  hill.  In 
planting  the  seed,  no  attention  need  be  given  to  placing 
the  eye  down.  Careful  experiment  has  demonstrated  the 
uselessness  of  such  practice.  The  poles  should  be  cut 
eight  feet  long  and  put  deep  enough  into  the  ground  to 
insure  them  against  being  blown  over.  Drive  a  post-hole 
punch  down  to  the  depth  the  poles  are  to  go,  insert  the 
poles  and  press  the  soil  firmly  to  them.  If  no  post -hole 
punch  is  at  hand,  use  a  stout  piece  of  hard  wood  a  little 
larger  than  the  large  end  of  the  poles.  Drive  this  where 
the  pole  is  to  be  and  turn  it  around  as  it  is  withdrawn,  to 
prevent  lifting  the  soil  around  the  sides  of  the  hole.  If 
poles  are  used,  the  beans  may  be  planted  in  rows  four 
feet  apart  and  three  feet  in  the  drill.  A  simple  but  per- 
manent trellis  may  be  made  as  follows:  Plant  posts  of 
durable  material  at  convenient  intervals  extending  two 
feet  into  the  ground  and  seven  feet  above.  Nail  to  the 
tops  of  these  posts  a  stout  wire,  smooth  or  barbed,  and 
another  one  foot  from  the  ground.  When  the  vines  begin 
to  run,  weave  binding  twine  around  both  wires  to  guide 
the  vines  in  climbing  to  the  top  of  the  trellis  or  use  only 
the  wire  at  the  top  of  the  posts;  plant  the  beans  three 
feet  from  the  trellis  on  each  side  and  lean  light  poles  or 
river  cane  from  the  bean  hills  to  the  wire.  The  vines 
will  bear  more  and  continue  in  bearing  longer  if  the  pods 
are  not  allowed  to  ripen. 

The  pods  of  the  Lima  beans  are  gathered  when  the 
beans  have  attained  their  full  size,  but  before  they  begin 
to  toughen.  The  green -shell  beans,  boiled  and  served 
with  drawn  butter,  afford  a  delicious  and  nutritious  dish. 
They  add  to  the  flavor  of  gumbo,  along  with  corn,  okra 


52  Southern    Gardener's   Practical   Manual 

and  tomatoes,  and  boiled  with  corn  make  a  favorite  dish 
known  on  southern  tables  as  succotash.  The  dry  beans 
stored  for  winter,  soaked  over  night  and  boiled  and  then 
baked  with  pork  as  Boston  beans,  are  equal,  if  not 
superior,  to  the  latter. 

BEETS 

This  delicious  vegetable  has  been  a  favorite  occupant 
of  the  private  garden  for  many  centuries,  and  is  also  a 
profitable  market  crop,  both  with  the  local  trucker  and 
the  shipper.  It  is  found  along  the  seashore  in  southern 
Europe  and  western  Asia,  and  is  also  said  to  have  been 
grown  for  its  beautiful  red  roots  before  its  edible  quali- 
ties were  developed. 

There  seem  to  be  three  species  in  cultivation,  viz.: 
The  common  garden  beet,  the  mangels,  grown  princi' 
pally  for  stock  and  for  making  sugar,  and  the  Swiss 
chard,  which  is  grown  for  its  leaves,  as  the  thick- 
ened midribs  of  the  leaves  are  used  as  a  substitute 
for  asparagus.  There  are  numerous  excellent  garden 
varieties  varying  in  shape,  color  and  earliness,  but  all 
are  good. 

Early  Bassano  is  one  of  the  oldest,  earliest,  most 
tender  and  sweetest,  but,  being  of  comparatively  light 
color  which  it  loses  in  boiling,  it  is  objected  to  by  some 
on  this  account.  Downing  is  credited  with  having  said, 
"It  is  the  sweetest,  most  tender  and  delicate  of  all 
beets."  It  should  be  planted  as  first  early  and  some 
weeks  before  the  general  crop.  There  is  quite  a  list  of 
blood  turnip  varieties  which,  while  not  so  sweet  or  deli- 


Garden   and   Sugar   Beets   and   Mangels  53 

cate  as  Bassano,  are  of  good  quality,  and,  haviug  the 
desired  deep  red  color,  are  popular  both  for  the  private 
garden  and  for  market.  Amongst  these  are  Wood^s 
Crimson  Globe,  an  early  and  attractive  kind;  Crosby^ s 
Egyptian,  an  improved  selection  from  the  old  Egyptian; 
Philadelphia  Early  Tumi]),  Maulers  Blood  Turnip  and 
various  other  excellent  varieties  of  the  blood  turnip 
type.  The  long  blood -red  types  are  later  than  the 
round-  and  turnip -shaped  varieties,  but  are  better  for 
winter  use  on  account  of  their  keeping  qualities.  The 
sugar  varieties  have  been  introduced  principally  from 
Germany,  where  their  saccharine  properties  have  been 
especially  developed  by  most  careful  scientific  selection 
of  the  mother  beets.  They  are  uniformly  of  a  light  yel- 
low color,  to  which  most  housewives  object,  but  they 
make  a  sweet  and  tender  table  beet. 

Mangels  are  cultivated  in  colder  climates  for  winter 
stock  food,  but  in  the  South  the  seasons  are  so  long  that 
they  become  woody  before  the  weather  becomes  suffi- 
ciently cool  for  storing. 

Beet  seed  may  be  planted  in  thoroughly  prepared  and 
fertilized  soil  in  the  first  open  weather  of  early  spring, 
or  they  may  be  sown  under  glass  and  transplanted  if  a 
very  early  crop  is  desired.  If  bottom  heat  is  used  to 
force  them,  the  soil  must  be  not  less  than  six  inches 
deep  over  the  manure.  If  the  manure  is  too  near  the 
surface,  instead  of  forming  a  continuous  straight  root,  a 
number  of  small  branching  roots  will  be  produced  where 
it  reaches  the  manure — what  the  gardeners  call  "fingers 
and  toes."  In  transplanting,  a  long  dibble  must  be  used, 
and   the    root   extended   into   the   hole    in    its    natural 


54  Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

position.    If  bent,  the  root  will  not  develop,  and  if  the 
lower  part  of  the  dibble  hole  is  not  closed  around  the 
extremity  of  the  root,  the  plant  will  fail  to  grow.    The 
beet  is  hardy  enough  not  to  be  injured  by  an  ordinary 
frost,  and  hence  can  be  planted   as  early  as  the  soil  is 
sufficiently  warm  to  supply  the  necessary  conditions  for 
the  germination  of  the  seed.   The  seed  should  be  planted 
on  a  bed  raised  two  or  three  inches  above  the  general 
surface.    Since  there  are  several  seeds  in  each  pod,  they 
may  be  sown  quite  thinly  to  avoid  the  trouble  of  thin- 
ning, except  to  take   out  the   surplus  plants  from  the 
bunches.    This  should  be  done  as  early  as  the  plants  are 
large  enough  to  be  handled  conveniently.     Care  must  be 
exercised  not  to  loosen   or  otherwise  injure  the  plants 
that  are  to  remain.    Transplanting  the   surplus   plants 
drawn  out  was  formerly  the  common  practice,  but  this 
does  not  pay  for  the  extra  trouble.    Better  plant  enough 
for  a  supply  and  throw  away  those  taken  out.   To  facili- 
tate cultivation,  have  the  rows  one  and  a  half  to  two 
feet  apart.     For  the  early  crop,  leave  the  plants  four 
inches  in  the  drill,  and  as  soon  as  the  roots  are  the  size 
of  a  guinea  egg  commence  pulling  out  alternate  ones  for 
the  table.    If  the  seed  is  sown  with  a  seed-drill  so  that 
it  comes    up    in  a    straight  line,  the    early  cultivation 
will  be  simplified.     The   hand- plow  provided  with  the 
rake  or  sweep  on  the  foot,  may  then  supplant  the  hoe. 
All  subsequent  cultivation  can  be  done  with  this  plow. 
The  germination  of  the  seed  may  be  hastened  by  soak- 
ing for  twelve   hours  in   hot  water  in    which    soot  has 
been  dissolved.    The  water  may  be  nearly  at  the  boiling 
point  when  poured  over  the  seed  and  allowed  to  cool 


Cultivation   and   Harvesting   of  Beets  55 

naturally.  This  softens  the  hull  and  hastens  germina- 
tion, but  weakens,  to  a  small  degree,  the  vitality  of  the 
seed.  For  a  fall  crop,  sow  the  seed  in  June.  Instead  of 
sowing  on  a  bed  as  for  the  spring  crop,  prepare  the  land 
level  and  mark  the  rows  with  the  garden -marker  two 
feet  apart.  Open  a  furrow  two  inches  deep,  and  sow  the 
seed  carefully  in  the  bottom  of  this  and  run  the  wheel 
of  a  wheelbarrow  on  them.  This  firms  the  soil  on 
the  seed  to  bring  them  into  closer  contact  with  the 
soil  and  promotes  the  ascent  of  capillary  moisture.  A 
small  quantity  of  fine  soil  falls  in  behind  the  wheel, 
just  enough  to  form  a  mulch  over  the  seed.  Planted  in 
this  way,  the  roots  of  the  j^oung  plants  at  once  enter 
moist  soil  and  are  exempt  from  the  usual  injurious 
effects  of  drought. 

If  the  land  is  manured  for  beets  with  thoroughly 
rotted  compost,  it  should  be  deeply  incorporated  with 
the  soil  broadcast.  If  commercial  fertilizers  are  used 
and  applied  in  the  drill,  they  should  be  deposited  in  the 
bottom  of  a  furrow  six  inches  deep,  to  insure  a  solid  root 
growth  downward  and  to  prevent  the  growth  of  laterals. 
Fresh  stable  manure  should  not  be  applied  to  the  beet 
crop,  as  its  presence  encourages  the  development  of  the 
disease  known  as  scab.  If  this  disease  is  trouble- 
some, plant  on  land  where  beets  have  not  been  grown 
for  several  years.  If  the  beets  are  desired  for  use 
in  winter,  in  June  plant  the  long  blood-red  ;  and, 
when  severe  killing  frosts  occur,  lift,  cut  the  tops 
lelow  the  hud  and  store  either  in  barrels  with  sand 
between  them  or  bank  in  the  field,  covering  each  layer 
with  fine  soil  as  free  from  organic  matter  as  practicable. 


56  Southern    Oardener^s    Practical   Manual 

After  the  bank  is  completed  in  this  way,  cover  with  a 
foot  of  soil  and  lay  some  boards  over  the  bank.  If  the 
tops  are  not  cut  below  the  bud,  growth  will  take  place 
and  injure  the  quality  of  the  roots. 

If  desired  to  save  seed,  store  some  of  the  best  roots 
with  the  tops  cut  above  the  bud.  Transplant  these  in 
spring  and  support  the  seed -stalks  to  prevent  falling 
over  from  the  weight  of  the  seed.  These  need  not  be 
planted  in  very  fertile  soil,  since  the  growth  of  the  seed- 
stalk  only  utilizes  the  substance  stored  in  the  mother 
beet  the  previous  year  and  does  not  draw  upon  the  soil 
for  food.  The  beet  is  a  biennial  plant  which  stores  in 
the  root  the  first  year  the  food  necessary  for  the  produc- 
tion of  the  seed -stalk  and  the  seed  the  second  year. 

Swiss  Chard,  a  variety  of  beet  with  coarse,  small 
roots  but  very  large  leaves  and  broad,  succulent  leaf- 
stalks, is  planted  and  cultivated  as  the  ordinary  beet; 
but,  since  it  is  grown  for  its  leaves,  it  requires  a  more 
liberal  application  of  nitrogen  than  the  species  grown 
for  its  roots.  The  leaves  and  their  stalks  are  larger, 
thicker,  broader  and  more  tender  than  those  of  other 
species.  The  leaves  are  prized  for  salad  and  the  stalks 
used  as  a  substitute  for  asparagus.  The  plants  may  be 
covered  with  sufficient  straw  to  protect  them  from  frost 
and  the  stalks  blanched  for  winter  use.  This  species  is 
not  appreciated  as  its  merit  deserves. 

The  beet  is  practically  free  from  insect  enemies.  In 
some  seasons  and  localities,  the  lightning- bag  attacks 
the  leaves.  It  is  subject  to  rust -rot  and  spot -disease  of 
the  leaves  and  scab  on  the  root,  but  none  of  these  are 
seriously  destructive. 


The    Use    of  Beets — Varieties    of  Broccoli         57 

The  tender  tops  of  young  beets  and  the  leaves  of  the 
chard  are  used  for  boiled  salad,  and  the  leaf -stems  of 
the  chard  are  cooked  and  eaten  as  asparagus.  The  beet 
is  largely  cultivated  in  Europe  for  the  manufacture  of 
sugar,  and  within  recent  years  this  has  become  an  im- 
portant industry  in  the  northern  and  western  states 
and  on  the  Pacific  coast.  It  is  the  most  formidable 
rival  of  the  sugar-cane  as  a  producer  of  sugar.  Tender 
beets  boiled  and  served  with  drawn  butter  make  a  very 
delicious  and  popular  dish.  Boil  in  salted  hot  water 
and  do  not  break  the  skin  or  they  will  lose  color. 
Boiled,  sliced  and  dropped  into  sweet  pickle  vinegar, 
they  make  a  delicious  pickle  at  very  slight  cost  of  either 
material  or  trouble.  Any  surplus  after  supplying  the 
family  table  may  be  profitably  utilized  as  food  for  the 
cow.  The  garden  should  feed  the  cow  and  the  cow  the 
garden . 

BORECOLE.      See  Kale 

BROCCOLI 

This  is  a  biennial  plant  which  resembles  cauliflower, 
but  is  more  hardy  and  less  tender.  It  is  desirable  only 
under  circumstances  where  it  is  difficult  to  grow  cauli- 
flower.   It  was  introduced  into  England  from  Italy. 

Early  Anglers  produces  large,  solid  heads.  Purple 
Cape  is  the  most  popular  and  productive  varietj',  pro- 
ducing large  solid  heads  of  a  purplish  brown  color. 

Culture  and  Uses. — Same  as  cauliflower.  If  attacked 
by  the  same  insects  and  fungous  diseases  as  cabbage 
and  cauliflower,  the  same  remedies  are  applied. 


58  Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

BRUSSELS    SPROUTS 

This  is  a  very  hardy  variety  of  cabbage,  bearing 
small  heads  in  the  axils  of  the  leaves  on  a  long  stalk 
and  a  small  cluster  of  leaves  at  the  top  resembling  those 
of  the  Savoy  cabbage.  These  little  heads  are  the  edible 
part.  The  large  lower  leaves  are  pulled  off  to  encourage 
the  growth  of  the  little  heads.  This  tendency  to  pro- 
duce the  small  heads  is  often  seen  in  the  common  cab- 
bage, especially  where  the  natural  formation  of  the  head 
is  interfered  with,  thus  manifesting  a  natural  and  per- 
sistent effort  to  reproduce. 

The  cultivation  is  practically  the  same  as  for  other 
cabbage.  In  this  climate  two  crops  may  be  grown  in 
one  season,  the  first  in  spring  and  another  in  the  fall. 
The  plants  are  quite  hardy  and  both  the  leaves  and  the 
heads  are  improved  in  flavor  by  frost.  The  top  leaves 
are  usually  gathered  and  used  for  greens  a  short  time 
before  gathering  the  heads. 

The  tops  should  be  removed  and  the  seed  saved  from 
the  flower -stalks  grown  from  the  little  heads. 

The  tender  top  leaves  are  first  cut  after  they  have 
been  frosted  and  put  into  hot  water,  which  has  been 
salted,  but  the  parts  principally  eaten  are  the  heads. 
They  are  quite  tender  and  delicate,  resembling  the  ten- 
der leaves  of  the  Savoy  cabbage. 

CABBAGE 

This  is  probably  more  universally  grown  in  the 
family  garden  than  any  other  vegetable.    It  is  a  bien- 


The    Use   of  the    Cabbage   Family  59 

nial  plant,  quite  hardy,  enduring,  if  properly  trans- 
planted, a  temperature  of  5°  Fahr.  if  hardened  by 
a  gradual  lowering  of  temperature.  It  is  found  growing 
wild  on  the  coasts  of  England  and  many  parts  of 
Europe,  but  has  been  vastly  improved,  under  cultiva- 
tion, from  the  wild  type,  which  produces  no  head.  It 
was  cultivated  by  the  Romans  and  probably  introduced 
into  England  by  them.  Bailey,  in  his  "Cyclopedia  of 
American  Horticulture,"  says:  "From  the  one  original 
stock  has  sprung  all  the  forms  of  cabbages,  cauliflower, 
Brussels  sprouts  and  kales."  Cabbages  are  edible  in 
all  stages  of  growth,  from  the  time  they  leave  the  seed- 
bed until  they  form  hard  heads.  Many  prefer  the  green 
leaves  as  a  boiled  salad  to  the  blanched  heads.  While 
the  cabbage  will  endure  a  low  temperature,  it  is  intol- 
erant of  very  high  degree  of  heat,  especially  after  the 
heads  are  formed.  For  this  reason  our  best  crops  are 
grown  in  the  South  in  late  winter  and  early  spring,  and 
in  the  late  fall  and  early  winter.  Only  the  coarse  types, 
such  as  our  southern  collards,  will  survive  our  sum- 
mers, and  these  reach  their  best  condition  for  use  after 
they  have  been  subjected  to  severe  frosts.  The  crop  is 
less  subject  to  fungous  diseases  and  insect  pests  in  early 
spring  and  late  fall.  The  spring  crop  should  be  trans- 
planted in  February  and  matured  and  removed  from  the 
garden  by  the  first  of  July,  and  nothing  of  the  cabbage 
family  should  be  allowed  in  the  garden  during  July  and 
August.  During  these  months  we  have  better  and  more 
delicate  vegetables  in  abundance  and  the  cabbage  is  not 
needed.  If  allowed  in  the  garden  during  these  months, 
those  that  have  headed  are  destroyed  by  fungous  growths, 


60  Southern    Gardener^ s    Practical    Manual 

producing  a  most  disgusting  odor,  while  they  not  only 
occupy  space  which  should  be  occupied  by  more  desir- 
able vegetables,  but  also  serve  as  a  nursery  for  the 
propagation  of  both  fungous  diseases  and  insect  pests. 

The  cabbage  succeeds  best  upon  clay  loam,  rendered 
friable  by  thorough  and  deep  preparation  and  a  most 
liberal  use  of  animal  manure.  It  is  a  gross  feeder,  and, 
while  it  will  endure  much  neglect  and  abuse,  best  results 
are  obtained  only  under  the  most  favorable  conditions 
as  to  soil,  available  plant -food,  climatic  conditions,  cul- 
tivation and  supply  of  moisture.  All  plants  grown  for 
their  leaves  or  stems  must  be  grown  under  favorable 
conditions  to  be  tender  and  wholesome.  If  grown 
rapidly,  the  cells  will  be  large  and  the  cell -walls  thin 
and  tender,  and  when  properly  cooked  the  plants  make 
wholesome  food.  If  grown  slowly,  because  of  poor  cul- 
tivation and  deficient  food  and  moisture,  woody  fiber  is 
increased,  the  plants  become  tough  and  form  unwhole- 
some food.  There  is  little  danger  of  manuring  too  heav- 
ily, provided  the  soil  is  deeply  and  thoroughly  prepared 
and  soil  moisture  retained  by  stirring  the  surface  fre- 
quently amongst  the  plants. 

A  combination  of  animal  manures  and  commercial 
fertilizers  is  best  and  most  economical.  When  judi- 
ciously composted  and  fermented  to  break  down  the 
coarse  material,  this  combination  destroys  the  seeds  of 
grass  and  weeds  which  are  present  in  the  manure,  and 
properly  adjusts  the  ratio  between  the  three  principal 
elements  of  plant -food.  Since  cabbages  are  grown  for 
the  leaves,  the  fertilizer  used  should  analyze  high  in 
potash  and  nitrogen,  and  low  in  phosphoric  acid  com- 


The    Growing    of   Cabbage  from    Seed  61 

pared  with  that  for  plants  grown  for  seed  production. 
If  animal  manures  are  not  available,  the  humus  may  be 
supplied  by  a  growth  of  pea  vines  or  an  application  of 
woods  mold  and  the  necessary  available  plant -food 
supplied  by  a  commercial  fertilizer  containing  about  6 
per  cent  of  potash,  7  of  nitrogen  and  8  of  available 
phosphoric  acid.  For  maximum  crops,  thirty  or  forty 
tons  of  mixed  animal  manure,  or  one  to  two  tons  of  com- 
mercial fertilizer  proportioned  as  above,  will  not  be 
excessive.  The  land  intended  for  the  spring  crop  of 
cabbage  should  be  manured  at  intervals  during  the  late 
fall  and  winter,  and  plowed  after  each  application  of 
manure  to  thoroughly  incorporate  the  latter  with  the 
soil,  to  expose  the  soil  to  the  pulverizing  effects  of 
frost,  and  destroy  the  cutworm  by  exposing  him  to  the 
winter  weather. 

It  is  of  the  first  importance  to  secure  good  seed 
which  has  been  grown  from  well -selected  plants  in  a 
section  especially  adapted  to  the  cabbage.  Seed  saved 
from  plants  grown  in  the  middle  south  has  a  tendency 
to  run  to  seed  or  to  produce  only  leaves,  without  head- 
ing. Good  seed  may  be  saved  in  the  Blue  Ridge  Moun- 
tains, where  the  cabbage  grows  to  perfection.  By  select- 
ing plants  of  ideal  development  from  the  fall -grown 
crop,  protecting  them  during  the  winter  and  transplant- 
ing in  early  spring  not  less  than  three  feet  each  way  and 
protecting  them  from  plant -lice  and  harlequin  bugs, 
good  seed  may  be  saved  in  our  alpine  region.  The  sub- 
stances needed  for  the  growth  of  the  seed -stalk  are 
stored  during  the  first  year's  growth  in  the  stalk  and 
leaves  of  the  head.   It  is  well  to  slit  the  leaves  of  the 


62  Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Manual 

head  in  two  directions  at  right  angles  to  facilitate  the 
escape  of  the  seed -stalk.  It  is  claimed  by  some  that  the 
seeds  produced  on  the  branches  of  the  stalk  are  better 
than  those  formed  at  the  extremity,  but  this  has  not  been 
proved  by  experiment.  The  seed  may  be  sown  for  the 
spring  crop  in  October  and  allowed  to  remain  in  the 
open  ground  until  time  to  transplant,  in  the  warmer 
parts  of  the  South.  By  sowing  thinly  on  well -prepared 
land,  stocky,  hardy  plants  are  secured,  which  may  be 
transplanted  as  early  as  February  1  with  safety,  if  the 
transplanting  is  properly  done.  Cabbage  plants  are 
seldom  injured  by  the  freezing  of  the  leaves,  but,  if  the 
stem  freezes,  the  plant  is  destroyed.  To  prevent  this 
and  produce  a  spreading,  stocky  plant,  it  should  be  set 
so  that  the  bud  will  be  a  little  below  the  surface  of  the 
soil.  This  protects  the  stem  from  freezing  in  winter, 
causes  the  leaves  to  spread  on  the  surface  around  the 
plant  and  prevents  the  freezing  of  the  soil,  to  the  injury 
of  the  roots.  The  leaves  being  drawn  up  over  the  bud, 
the  cutworm  will  attack  the  leaf -stalks  instead  of  the 
stem  of  the  plant.  This  method  of  transplanting  pro- 
tects the  plant  from  the  injurious  effects  of  drought  in 
summer  by  shading  the  soil  over  the  roots  and  retaining 
moisture  where  it  is  most  needed.  It  has  been  stated 
that  the  plants  may  be  left  in  the  open  ground  during 
the  winter  in  the  warmer  parts  of  the  South.  In  the 
colder  parts,  as  we  approach  the  mountains,  they  may  be 
grown  in  the  open  ground  and  transplanted  to  cold- 
frames  protected  by  glass  or  cloth  as  winter  advances, 
giving  each  plant  four  square  inches  of  space.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  cover  them  except  in  extremely  cold  spells. 


Transplanting    Young    Cabbage    Plants  63 

Slight  frosts  will  not  injure  them  and  exposure  to  the 
sunlight  whenever  the  minimum  temperature  is  not 
below  20°  Fahr.,  will  be  beneficial.  Such  plants  may 
be  transplanted  with  safety  much  earlier  than  those 
grown  in  hotbeds,  even  if  the  latter  are  transferred  to 
coldframes  to  be  hardened.  A  very  common  mistake 
made  by  even  experienced  gardeners  is  sowing  the  seed 
too  thickly  and  failing  to  thin  the  plants  before  they  be- 
come spindling  and  "leggy."  One  ounce  of  good  fresh 
seed  will  sow  300  feet  of  row  or  produce  4,000  plants. 
Three  or  four  ounces  will  safely  produce  enough  plants  to 
set  an  acre  of  the  early  sorts  and  two  ounces  are  enough 
for  the  later  varieties,  which  require  more  room  in  the 
field.  It  is  better  to  clip  off  all  long  roots  before  trans- 
planting rather  than  incur  the  risk  of  having  them 
doubled  back  upon  themselves  by  careless  transplanting. 
Another  common  mistake  is  in  putting  out  small  or 
splindling  plants.  Stunted  young  plants,  like  animals 
stunted  in  their  early  growth,  rarely  entirely  recover. 
It  is,  generally,  true  economy  to  reject  all  inferior 
plants.  Even  when  the  plant-bed  is  well  watered, 
the  roots  should  be  lifted  by  the  use  of  a  trowel  or  a 
flat  dibble  to  prevent  the  destruction  of  the  fibrous 
roots,  since  the  plant  must  depend  upon  these  for  prompt 
recovery  from  the  injury  sustained  in  its  removal.  Since 
a  part  of  the  roots  will  necessarily  be  lost  in  the  removal 
of  the  plant,  and  its  power  of  absorbing  moisture  and 
thus  suppljdng  food  correspondingly  diminished,  some 
of  the  large  leaves  should  be  removed  to  readjust  the 
equilibrium  between  the  absorbing  and  the  exhaling  sur- 
faces.   For  supplying  an  ordinary  family  garden,  enough 


64  Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

plants  may  be  grown  in  a  box  or  flat  two  feet  square 
and  three  or  four  inches  deep,  filled  with  rich  loam  and 
placed  on  a  shelf  on  the  south  side  of  the  dwelling  at 
any  time  during  the  winter,  if  the  box  is  protected  by 
cheesecloth  during  mild  weather  and  moved  into  the 
house  during  very  severe  spells.  As  soon  as  the  plants 
form  the  third  or  first  true  leaf,  they  should  be  thinned 
and  the  surplus  plants  transplanted  to  other  boxes  or 
into  a  coldframe  to  become  stocky. 

There  is  no  plant  which  profits  more  by  early  and 
frequent  shallow  cultivation.  Indeed,  the  plant  will 
grow  off  more  promptly  if  the  surface  is  kept  stirred 
before  transplanting  both  in  the  seed-bed  and  in  the 
field  in  which  it  is  to  be  grown.  The  garden  rake 
properly  used  is  the  only  implement  needed.  Some 
twenty  years  ago  Mr.  Gregory,  of  Massachusetts,  recom- 
mended deep  cultivation  in  the  early  growth  of  the 
cabbage,  accompanying  the  recommendation  with  the 
statement  that  the  roots  were  short.  Other  writers  of 
more  recent  date  have  made  similar  statements.  To  test 
the  correctness  of  this  statement  and  recommendation,  I 
washed  up  the  roots  of  a  plant  and  found  the  laterals 
five  feet  long.  The  cabbage  requires  a  well -drained  soil 
but  a  liberal  supply  of  moisture.  The  importance,  there- 
fore, of  keeping  the  surface  of  the  soil  between  and 
around  the  plants  continuously  covered  with  the  soil 
mulch,  by  means  of  the  frequent  use  of  shallow  cultiva- 
tion, is  apparent. 

There  are  so  many  excellent  varieties  offered  by  the 
seedsmen  that  one  can  hardlj^  make  a  mistake  in  buying 
from  their  lists.  Wood^s  Extra-Early,  Solid  South,  Wood^s 


Best    Varieties   of  Cabbage  for   the    South        65 

Prize  Head  and  Late  Flat  Butch  are  all  good  varie- 
ties. The  Charleston  Wakefield  is  the  most  popular  early 
variety  grown  in  the  South.  This  is  a  conical -headed 
variety  but  less  pointed,  larger,  and  produces  a  more 
compact  head  than  the  Early  Jersey  Wakefield,  Early 
Etampes,  Express  or  York,  which  are  only  a  few  days 
earlier.  It  is  excellent  for  both  spring  and  fall  planting. 
Transplanted  the  first  of  February,  it  gives  hard  heads 
in  very  early  spring.  Transplanted  the  last  of  August, 
it  heads  well  before  severe  freezing  weather,  which  rarely 
occurs  before  the  last  of  November  in  the  Middle  South. 
Early  Summer,  Surehead  and  Succession  follow  the  Wake- 
field in  late  spring  and  summer,  while  the  Banish  Ball 
Head,  Lupton,  Flat  Butch,  Brumhead  and  others  chal- 
lenge the  attention  of  the  grower  in  the  alpine  or 
mountain  regions  for  late  fall  crop.  These  are  trans- 
planted in  June  or  July  in  the  mountain  vallej^s,  which 
are  especially  adapted  to  this  crop,  and  mammoth  heads 
are  produced.  For  winter  supply,  the  solid -headed  cab- 
bages are  taken  up  in  November  in  the  northern  part  of 
the  South,  the  roots  and  stalks  buried  in  trenches  on  well- 
drained  soil,  northern  exposure  preferred,  the  heads 
sheltered  from  rain  until  cold  weather  threatens,  when 
additional  protection  is  needed.  I  have  kept  them  in 
perfect  condition  by  packing  the  heads  cut  from  the 
stalks  and  inverted  in  a  shallow  trench,  placing  a  row  of 
heads  on  each  side  and  breaking  the  joint  with  a  third 
row  also  inverted.  Sufficient  soil  was  then  heaped  over 
the  triple  row  of  heads  to  shed  the  water  and  prevent 
freezing.  They  have  been  protected  also  where  they  grow 
by  opening  a  furrow  with  the  turn -plow  bar  side  next  to 


66  Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

the  plants,  bending  the  heads  into  this  fnrrow  and  cov- 
ering with  a  sufficient  thickness  of  soil  to  prevent  freez- 
ing. If  plants  are  transplanted  in  September,  October 
and  November  in  the  middle  and  lower  cotton  belt, 
fresh  heads  may  be  gotten  from  the  garden  every  day 
throughout  the  winter.  This  is  true  from  Atlanta  south 
in  Georgia  and  from  Clemson  College  south  in  South 
Carolina.  I  have  tested  this  personally.  While  trucking 
near  Atlanta,  I  marketed  the  fall- planted  daily  through 
the  winter  until  those  planted  in  February  were  ready. 
The  temperature  has  been  down  to  16°  this  winter  and 
yet  I  enjoyed  a  dish  of  fresh  cabbage  at  dinner  today, 
January  11,  from  my  private  garden  at  Clemson  College, 
located  in  the  north- westernmost  county  of  the  state. 
In  this  garden  there  are  now  ready  for  use,  salsify 
or  vegetable  oyster,  young  fall -sown  beets,  turnips, 
onions  from  home-grown  sets  planted  in  September, 
kale,  spinach,  cabbage  and  lettuce,  the  latter  in  cold- 
frame.  English  or  green  peas  sown  in  November  are 
several  inches  high.  Tomatoes  gathered  after  the  first 
frost  and  stored  are  still  in  supply,  as  well  as 
numerous  sugar-pumpkins — a  winter's  supply. 

The  first  insect  to  appear  on  the  cabbages  is  the  flea- 
beetle,  which  attacks  the  seed-leaves  in  the  plant-bed. 
Slug- shot,  powdered  tobacco  or  Paris  green  will  check 
them.  The  cutworm  is  destructive  to  the  plants  when 
first  set  in  the  field  or  garden.  If  the  plants  are  deeply 
set  as  directed,  the  presence  of  the  cutworm  may  be 
detected  by  finding  the  leaf -stalks  cut,  and,  if  visited 
early  in  the  morning,  the  enemy  may  be  found  under  the 
leaf  or  near  the  surface  of  the  soil.    This  insect  hiber- 


Insect   Pests    Which    Pretj    Upon    the    Cabbage     67 

nates  in  the  larval  state  and  may  be  destroyed  by  plow- 
ing during  winter,  as  already  suggested.  The  Harlequin, 
Calico,  Terrapin,  or  Lincoln  bug,  emerges  from  his  winter 
retreat  with  the  first  warm  spring  weather  and  sucks  the 
leaves  of  the  plants.  Being  a  sucker  and  not  an  eater, 
this  insect  cannot  be  destroyed  by  poisoning  the  plants. 
If  only  a  few  rows  of  plants  are  to  be  protected,  the 
finger  and  thumb  will  be  the  most  reliable  mode  of 
attack.  This  insect  will  collect  upon  the  most  pungent 
plants,  such  as  mustard,  cress  or  radish.  Occasional  rows 
of  mustard  sown  amongst  or  near  the  cabbage  will  col- 
lect them,  and  these  plants  may  be  sprayed  with  kerosene, 
and  plants  and  bugs  all  killed  at  once.  This  is  called  the 
"Harlequin  bug  trap."  It  is  important  to  destroy  them 
before  eggs  are  deposited.  The  eggs  hatch  the  perfect 
insect,  which,  in  great  numbers,  seek  protection  amongst 
the  leaves  of  the  plants,  and  cannot  be  destroyed  without 
injury  to  the  plants.  There  are  three  species  of  larvae 
which  eat  the  leaves  of  the  cabbage,  (a)  The  larva  of 
the  white  cabbage  butterfly,  which  is  seen  depositing  eggs 
from  March  to  November  on  the  leaves  of  the  cabbage 
and  other  cruciferous  plants.  This  larva  is  the  color  of 
the  cabbage  leaf,  and  is  covered  with  very  fine  short 
hairs.  So  nearly  does  this  larva  resemble  in  color  that 
of  the  cabbage  leaf  that  the  inexperienced  gardener 
will  overlook  it.  It  is  very  hardy,  withstanding  a  tem- 
perature of  10°  Fahrenheit.  At  this  temperature  it 
appears  torpid  in  the  morning,  but  resumes  its  work  of 
destruction  when  warmed  by  the  noonday  sun.  (b)  The 
checkered  white  butterfly  produces  a  larva  striped  in 
color  and  longer  than  the  green  worm.    It  crawls  as  a 


68  Southern    Gardener^ s    Practical   Manual 

measuring -worm.  This,  too,  is  exceedingly  destructive, 
though  not  quite  so  numerous  nor  so  cold -resisting  as 
the  dark-green  worm.  Both  of  these  species  feed  upon  the 
large  leaves  of  the  plant,  (c)  The  third  has  dark  green- 
ish stripes  along  its  sides  and  is  smaller  than  either  of 
the  others.  This  feeds  on  the  bud  leaves  and  penetrates 
the  head,  and  thus,  while  not  so  numerous  as  the  other 
two,  is  very  destructive  and  fouls  the  plant  with  its  cast- 
ings. All  of  these  being  eating  insects,  they  may  be 
easily  destroyed  by  the  use  of  Paris  green,  one  table- 
spoonful  to  three  quarts  of  flour,  air- slaked  lime  or 
gypsum.  I  use  measures  instead  of  weights,  because  it  is 
more  convenient  to  the  average  gardener  to  measure  than 
to  weigh.  This  insecticide  may  be  applied  with  a  powder- 
gun  on  a  large  scale,  or,  for  use  in  the  family  garden,  may 
be  thoroughly  mixed,  put  into  a  flour- sack  and  tied  to  the 
end  of  a  stick  three  feet  long  and  dusted  lightly  over  the 
plants.  It  is  important  to  destroj^  the  early  broods  to 
diminish  the  numbers  in  later  broods.  I  have  used  Paris 
green  annually  for  ten  years  without  any  ill  effects  from 
consumption  of  the  cabbage.  It  is  washed  from  the 
leaves  by  the  flrst  rain  or  by  the  cook  in  preparing  the 
plant  for  the  table.  It  has  been  estimated  that  a  person 
must  consume  nineteen  heads  at  a  meal  to  be  injured  by 
the  poison  remaining  on  the  plants.  The  head  grows 
entirely  from  the  inside  and  consequently  no  risk  can  be 
incurred  from  consuming  the  head.  The  cabbage  aphis 
is  a  very  difficult  insect  to  combat.  The  only  means 
known  to  be  even  partially  successful  is  spraying  with 
w^hale-oil  soap  solution  or  kerosene  emulsion.  These  in- 
sects take  their  food  by  sucking,  and  consequently  cannot 


Ways    of   Cooking    the    Cahbage  69 

be  destroyed  by  poisoning  the  plant.  The  cabbage-root 
maggot  is  sometimes  troublesome,  but  this  enemy  cannot 
be  reached  by  any  poison,  and  it  is  difficult  to  trap  the 
fly  which  lays  its  eggs  at  the  root  of  the  plant.  Club- 
root  is  the  only  fungous  disease  which  seriously  affects 
tlie  cabbage.  This  cannot  be  combated  except  by 
rotating  the  soil  with  crops  which  it  does  not  attack  as 
host  plants. 

The  most  common  way  of  cooking  the  cabbage  is 
boiling  with  pork  or  bacon.  It  is  delicate  and  whole- 
some prepared  by  boiling  without  meat  and  seasoned  as 
is  cauliflower.  Prepared  in  this  way  it  is  little  inferior 
to  cauliflower.  The  Savoy  variety  is  more  tender  and 
delicate  than  the  smooth-leaf  varieties,  is  as  easily  grown 
as  others,  and  is  an  excellent  substitute  for  cauliflower. 
Cabbages,  as  well  as  all  other  vegetables,  should  be  put 
into  hot  water  that  has  been  slightly  salted,  and  boiled 
until  so  thoroughly  done  that  they  are  easily  cut  with  a 
spoon.  Those  not  eaten  warm  at  dinner  are  good  cold 
at  supper,  or  they  may  be  fried  for  breakfast  or  baked 
for  dinner.  They  are  good  as  hot  slaw,  cold  slaw,  sauer 
kraut,  or  may  be  chopped  fine  with  cucumbers  and 
made  into  sweet  pickle.  Any  surplus  will  be  relished  by 
the  cow,  pig  and  poultry  if  there  is  no  market  for  it.  A 
beautiful  red  variety  is  grown  especially  for  pickling. 

CAULIFLOWER 

This  is  a  delicate  form  of  the  cabbage  family  which 
is  grown  for  the  undeveloped  flower -buds.  These  re- 
semble, when    ready   for  use,   a   mass  of   fresh   curds, 


70 


Southern    Gardener\s    Practical   Manual 


hence  gardeners  speak  of  it  as  "the  curd."  This  plant 
will  not  withstand  as  much  of  either  cold  or  heat  as  the 
cabbage,  and  hence  must  be  planted  so  as  to  head  either 
in  early  spring  or  late  fall.    This  plant  requires  even 


y.  M.  Thorburn  &  Co. 

Fig.  f).     Thorburn's"  Gilt-Edge  Cauliflower. 

more  moisture  and  more  fertile  soil  than  the  cabbage. 
For  the  fall  crop,  the  seed  may  be  sown  in  the  open 
ground  in  July,  slightly  protected  from  the  direct 
rays  of   the  sun,  and  transplanted   deeply  the  last  of 


Cauliflower— Its    Cultivation   and    Use  71 

August  or  early  iu  September,  in  soil  thoroughly  and 
deeply  prepared  and  heavily  fertilized  with  thoroughly 
fermented  compost  of  animal  manures,  acid  phosphate 
and  cottonseed -meal  in  the  proportions  recommended 
for  cabbage  and  applied  more  heavily.  If  the  land  is  not 
naturally  moist,  mulch  liberally  with  well -rotted  ma- 
nure covered  with  leaves  or  straw.  The  plants  may  then 
be  watered  without  causing  the  soil  to  bake.  A  small 
quantity  of  nitrate  of  soda,  an  ounce  to  five  gallons  of 
water,  will  prove  beneficial  used  around  (not  on)  the 
plants.  For  the  spring  crops,  either  winter  the  plants  in 
coldfran^ies  or  sow  in  moderately  heated  hotbeds  early  in 
January,  transplant  to  coldframe  and  set  in  the  garden 
the  last  of  February.  Transplant  and  cultivate  as 
directed  for  cabbage.  The  cauliflower  is  subject  to  the 
attack  of  the  same  enemies  as  the  cabbage.  When  the 
curd  begins  to  show,  fold  the  large  leaves  over  it  and 
either  pin  or  tie  them  so  as  to  partially  exclude  the  rays 
of  the  sun.    This  will  preserve  the  whiteness  of  the  curd. 

Early  Snoivball,  Extra-Earhj  Dwarf  Erfurt,  Autumn 
Giant  and  Extra- Early  Paris  are  among  the  best  and 
most  reliable  varieties.  The  Early  Snowball  is  the  most 
desirable  of  the  above  varieties. 

Cut  off  all  green  leaves,  soak  an  hour  in  cold  water 
with  a  small  quantity  of  salt  in  it,  then  boil  in  milk  and 
water.  Serve  hot,  and  season  with  cream,  butter,  salt 
and  pepper.  This  is  considered  the  most  delicate  and 
palatable  dish  made  from  the  cabbage  family.  It  is 
highly  prized  for  use  in  mixed  pickles.  Unless  the  gar- 
dener has  determined  to  supply  the  special  conditions 
necessary  for  success,  he  had  better  not  attempt  to  grow 


72 


Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Manual 


cauliflower.  Enough  for  an  ordinary  family  may  be 
grown  in  a  cheap,  cloth -covered  coldframe  or  protected 
bed. 

CARROTS 


This  vegetable  is  seldom  found  in  southern  gardens, 
though  easily  grown  and  a  valuable  food  for  man  and 
animals. 

The  soil  should  be  deeply  prepared  as  for  other  root 
crops    to    secure   long,  straight   roots   without  laterals. 

The  fertilizer,  which  should 
either  be  well -rotted  animal 
manure  or  a  standard  com- 
mercial fertilizer,  must  be, 
especially  for  the  long  varie- 
ties, deposited  in  the  bottom 
of  a  deep  furrow  and  low 
beds  made  over  it.  The  seed 
may  be  sown  at  the  time  of 
sowing  beets,  in  February, 
covered  one -half  to  an  inch 
and  pressed  upon  by  roller  or 
otherwise.  If  the  soil  is  dry 
at  the  time  of  planting,  sow 
the  seed  in  a  furrow  two 
inches  deep  and  run  a 
wheelbarrow  over  them.  As 
soon  as  the  plants  are  large 
enough,  thin  to  three  or  four 
inches  in  the  drills,  which 
Carrotis.  uccd    uot    be    farther   than 


Varieties   and    Use    of   Carrots.     Celery  73 

eighteen  inches  apart.  Cultivate  with  garden  rake  after 
each  rain.  The  plants  may  be  thinned  and  the  roots 
used  during  the  summer  or  allowed  to  remain  where 
they  grow  until  needed  during  the  winter.  If  the  roots 
grow  above  ground,  throw  two  light  furrows  upon  them 
before  severe  freezing  weather  occurs  in  the  fall. 

Golden  Ball  and  Oxheart  are  early  varieties,  but  the 
Banvers,  Long  Orange  and  Long  Lemon  are  the  heaviest 
yielders. 

Carrots  are  mainly  used  in  the  South  in  stews  and 
soups,  but  may  be  boiled  and  seasoned  with  salt  and 
butter.  They  are  sometimes  used  as  a  butter  color.  On 
deep,  rich  soil  the  long  varieties  yield  immense  crops  at 
little  cost,  and  are  valuable  for  feeding  all  kinds  of  stock. 
They  do  not  become  woody  in  winter,  like  beets.  Carrots 
may  be  kept  all  winter  hilled  in  the  garden  or  in  a  cellar. 
In  the  lower  half  of  the  cotton  belt  they  may  remain  in 
the  garden  all  winter  without  injury  from  cold. 

CELERY 

On  account  of  its  superior  qualities  as  an  accessory 
to  a  meal,  celery  is  one  of  the  luxuries  of  the  garden. 
Though  there  are  no  special  difficulties  involved  in  its 
culture,  few  grow  it,  and  the  supply,  except  in  large 
cities,  is  usually  short.  It  is  a  hardy  biennial,  native  of 
England,  where  the  wild  plant  grows  along  the  banks  of 
ditches  and  in  marshy  places.  It  is  difficult  to  realize 
that  a  vegetable  so  tender  and  delicious  as  the  varieties 
now  under  cultivation  has  been  developed  from  so  rank 
a  weed. 


74  Southern    Gardener^ s    Practical    Manual 

Celery  requires,  in  its  early  and  late  stages  of  growth, 
a  cool,  moist  atmosphere,  and  hence  is  intolerant  of  heat 
and  drought.  The  seed  need  not  be  sown  under  glass  in 
our  southern  climate,  plants  much  better  in  every  respect 
being  grown  in  the  open  ground.  A  special  bed  maj^  be 
prepared  for  it  in  April  and  the  seed  sown  in  drills  ten 
or  twelve  inches  apart,  or  the  seed  may  be  sown  in  drills 
where  the  plants  are  to  remain  permanently,  the  surplus 
being  transplanted  to  flats  or  beds,  where  they  should  be 
placed  in  rows  six  inches  apart  and  three  inches  in 
the  drill.  The  soil  in  which  the  seed  is  sown  must 
be  a  rich  loam,  which  has  been  made  rich  by  heavy  appli- 
cation of  manure  to  crops  previously  grown  upon  it  or 
made  fertile  by  liberal  applications  of  thoroughly  rotted 
manure.  The  seeds,  are  extremely  small,  and  germinate 
slowly  even  under  favorable  conditions.  After  the  seed- 
bed has  been  deeply  prepared  and  very  thoroughly  pulver- 
ized by  careful  raking,  mark  off  very  shallow  trenches 
one  foot  apart,  sow  the  seed  thinly  in  these  trenches, 
and  cover  lightly  with  thoroughly  sifted  rich  loam  or 
woods  mold.  The  seed,  being  very  small,  must  not  be 
too  deeply  covered.  The  germination  may  be  hastened 
by  packing  the  soil  oyer  the  seed  immediately  after  sow- 
ing by  means  of  a  smooth  board  six  inches  wide  by  six 
feet  long.  A  corn-stalk  laid  on  each  side  of  the  drill  but 
not  immediately  over  it,  will  retain  sufficient  moisture  to 
insure  the  germination  of  the  seed.  If  the  weather  is  very 
dry  before  the  plants  appear,  the  soil  may  be  watered  from 
the  fine  rose  of  the  watering-pot,  but  I  prefer  retaining 
the  moisture  without  surface  watering.  If  the  seed  is 
sown  in  the  permanent  row,  treat  in  the  same  way,  but 


Transplanting    Yoking    Celery    Plants 


75 


make  the  rows  three  feet  apart  if  seed  of  dwarf  varieties 
is  sown,  or  five  feet  if  the  large  varieties  are  to  be  grown. 
While  transplanting  is  commonly  practiced,  it  is  not 
necessary,  as  the  finest  plants  are  made  withont  this 
very  troublesome  operation.  A  crop  of  bunch  beans, 
beets  or  onions  may  be  grown  between  the  three-foot 
rows  and  early  garden  corn  in  the  wide  rows. 

After  the  plants  appear  above  ground,  frequent  stir- 
ing  of  the  surface  will  prove 
beneficial  in  retaining  mois- 
ture and  keeping  down  weeds 
and  grass.  This  is  sometimes 
necessary  before  the  seed 
germinates  and  will  facili- 
tate germination  by  conserv- 
ing the  soil  moisture.  None 
but  stocky,  vigorous  plants 
should  be  used.  Spindling 
plants  seldom  develop  into 
profitable  growth.  Before 
transplanting,  the  tap-root 
should  be  cut  back,  since, 
it'  left  without  the  most  skil- 
ful handling,  it  is  liable  to 
be  bent  back  upon  itself.  If 
it  becomes  necessary  to  trans- 
plant when  the  soil  is  dry, 
holes  four  inches  deep  should 
be  opened  and  a  pint  of  water 
poured  in  as  the  plant  is  in- 
serted, and  dry  fine  soil  drawn  >iy.  7.    Celery 


76  Southern    Oardener^s    Practical   Manual 

around  the  roots  until  all  moisture  is  covered.  When 
planted  in  this  way  it  is  not  desirable  to  press  the  soil  to 
the  roots,  since  the  water  will  accomplish  all  that  is  needed 
in  this  respect.  If  water  is  not  used,  however,  the  soil 
should  be  pressed  firmly  upon  the  roots.  If  transplanting 
is  practiced,  celery  may  be  grown  as  a  second  crop  after 
potatoes,  beets,  peas,  beans  or  onions,  and  will  need  no 
new  application  of  manure  if  these  crops  were  properly 
fertilized,  except,  perhaps,  one  hundred  pounds  of  nitrate 
of  soda  sown  by  the  side  of  the  rows  after  the  plants 
have  taken  possession  of  the  soil.  Since  the  leaf -stalks 
constitute  the  edible  part,  it  is  important  that  the  late 
summer  growth  should  be  grown  rapidly  to  make  these 
stems  large  and  tender.  Planting  thick  to  induce  self- 
blanching  is  sometimes  practiced.  Under  this  system, 
the  plants  are  set  one  foot  each  way  on  very  fertile  soil 
and  cultivated  with  the  hoe  until  the  plants  are  large 
enough  to  shade  out  grass  and  weeds.  The  outside  rows 
and  ends  of  such  beds  are  protected  by  wide  boards  to 
assist  in  excluding  light.  Planted  in  this  way,  the 
leaves  are  forced  to  stretch  up  after  sunlight  and,  while 
growing  taller,  the  leaf -stalks  are  not  so  large  nor  brittle 
as  when  grown  and  blanched  by  the  more  laborious 
method  of  earthing  up  the  plants.  The  self-blanching 
varieties  should  be  selected  for  this  plan  of  culture. 
July  and  August  are  the  best  months  for  transplanting, 
since  the  plants  properly  set  and  cultivated  will  be  suffi- 
ciently large  to  commence  "handling"  by  the  last  of 
September,  which  is  as  early  as  is  safe  to  begin  this  work 
in  the  southern  states.  If  they  are  earthed  up  too  early, 
the  warm  weather  will  cause  rotting  of  the  leaves.   Since 


Growing   and   Blanching    Celery  11 

a  part  of  the  roots  must  be  destroyed  in  moving  the 
plants  from  the  nursery  rows,  it  is  well  to  remove  some 
of  the  outer  leaves  to,  in  a  measure,  reestablish  the 
equilibrium  between  the  evaporating  surfaces  —  the 
leaves — and  the  absorbing  surfaces — the  roots. 

The  soil  should  receive  shallow  surface  cultivation, 
repeated  after  each  shower,  around  the  plants  and 
between  the  rows,  until  the  temperature  is  low  enough  to 
begin  the  process  of  blanching.  This  must  be  done 
gradually,  commencing  with  what  is  known  as  "hand- 
ling." The  soil  between  the  rows  is  loosened  with  the 
plow  and  moved  toward,  but  not  against,  the  plants. 
Each  plant  is  then  handled  as  follows:  With  one  hand 
the  leaf -stalks  are  grasped  and  all  gently  pressed  to- 
gether to  train  them  into  a  compact,  upright  position, 
while,  with  the  other  hand,  the  soil  is  drawn  around  the 
plant  and  pressed  against  it  with  sufficient  force  to  hold 
the  leaves  in  their  upright  position,  being  careful  not  to 
allow  the  soil  to  sift  between  the  leaves  upon  the  bud. 
After  the  leaves  have  made  sufficient  additional  growth, 
the  soil  is  again  thrown  to  them  with  the  plow  or  hoe. 
At  the  approach  of  cold  weather,  the  soil  is  still  further 
heaped  around  the  plants  and  the  process  finished  with 
the  spade  or  shovel,  leaving  only  the  ends  of  the  leaves 
showing.  Before  very  severe  freezing  occurs,  the  whole 
plant  is  covered  either  with  sufficient  soil  to  prevent 
freezing,  or  leaves  or  straw  are  used  instead  of  the  soil. 
In  a  short  time,  varying  with  different  varieties,  the  whole 
of  the  leaf-stalks  will  be  blanched  and  ready  for  use. 

After  a  critical  examination  of  fifteen  varieties  grown 
under   identical    conditions,  the    following   are   recom- 


78  Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Manual 

mended:  Golden  Self -blanching,  a  beautiful  variety  of 
fine  flavor  but  of  too  much  fiber.  Thorburn^s  Gilt  Edge 
Golden  Self -blanching ,  an  improvement  of  the  latter 
in  size  but  the  leaf -stalks  not  sufficiently  solid  and 
too  fibrous.  Giant  Pascal.  Plants  large;  very  large 
leaf -stalks.  This  has  a  brittleness  and  nutty  flavor  sur- 
passed by  none,  is  a  late  variety  but  an  excellent  keeper. 
Perle  le  Grand  is  another  late  variety  of  fine  quality. 
Crawford^ s  Half  Divarf,  misnamed  dwarf,  for  the  plants 
are  very  large.  The  leaf-stalks  are  very  numerous, 
brittle  and  of  superior  flavor.  Evans^  Tritimjyh,  a  crisp, 
superior  variety,  of  fine  flavor.  Perfected  Hartwell. 
Plants  extra  large,  leaf -stalks  very  long;  a  late  variety 
of  superior  quality.  Winter  Queen,  a  late  variety  of 
rather  straggling  growth,  but  stems  crisp  and  of  excellent 
flavor.  Schumacher.  Medium,  late,  quality  good  and 
flavor  all  that  could  be  desired. 

Select  vigorous  plants  in  the  fall,  protect  slightly 
from  severe  freezing  during  the  winter.  In  spring,  drive 
up  strong  stakes  to  prevent  the  seed-stalks  from  being 
blown  over.  As  the  stalks  grow,  tie  to  the  stakes. 
Gather  the  seed  from  the  best  heads  for  planting  and 
from  the  side  limbs  for  seasoning.  Better  heads  will  be 
formed  if  the  side  limbs  are  removed  as  soon  as  they 
start  to  grow. 

Celery  is  used  principally  uncooked.  The  crisp, 
blanched  leaf -stalks  are  eaten  with  salt,  and  form  a 
salad  that  is  highly  appreciated  and  is  considered  a 
luxury.  The  seed  imparts  a  delicious  flavor  to  soups, 
pickles  and  salads.  The  leaf-stalks  are  also  used  for 
similar  purposes.    Celery  vinegar  is  made  by  simply  im- 


Celeriac,    or    Turnip -rooted    Celery.     Corn         79 

mersing  pieces  of  the  stalks  in  good  vinegar.  For 
flavoring  meats,  salads,  soups  or  pickles  this  is  highly 
appreciated.  The  outside  stalks  can  be  utilized  in  this 
way. 

CELERIAC 

This  is  sometimes  known  as  turnip -rooted  celery, 
because,  while  the  leaves  resemble  celery  very  closely,  it 
forms  an  irregular  knob  or  ball  at  its  base  somewhat 
resembling  a  turnip.  It  is  this  enlarged  root  for  which 
it  is  cultivated.  The  plant  is  more  easily  cultivated  than 
celery,  for  which  it  serves  as  a  substitute  for  seasoning 
soups,  etc.  Plants  are  grown  as  directed  for  celery,  but 
require  less  space  when  transplanted  (rows  two  feet  and 
ten  inches  in  the  row  is  the  usual  distance),  since  no 
earthing  up  is  required  except  to  cover  the  roots  with 
sufficient  earth  to  prevent  freezing.  The  roots  may  be 
stored  for  winter  as  turnips.  This  plant  is  very  seldom 
found  in  American  gardens. 

CORN 

Corn  should  be  available  for  table  use  in  every 
southern  garden,  according  to  latitude,  from  the  first  or 
the  15th  of  May  to  the  first  or  the  middle  of  November, 
if  proper  attention  is  given  to  selection  of  varieties  and 
successive  planting  through  the  summer.  As  earlj'  as 
the  temperature  and  the  condition  of  the  soil  will 
permit,  plant  several  varieties  which  ripen  in  regular 
succession  on  land  that  has  been  heavily  manured  in 
late  fall  and  winter  and  plowed  several  times  during 


80  Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Manual 

that  period,  not  only  to  secure  thorough  pulverization 
and  to  mix  the  manure  well  with  the  soil,  but  to  destroy 
insect  enemies  which  hibernate  in  the  soil.  Plant  the 
very  early  varieties  on  beds  raised  several  inches  above 
the  general  level,  to  secure  the  necessary  warmth  in  the 
seed-bed  and  to  effect  prompt  drainage  of  the  surface. 
Cover  the  seed  very  lightly,  since  the  moisture  necessary 
for  the  germination  of  the  seed  will  be  abundant  near 
the  surface  and  the  necessary  warmth  will  be  better 
secured  at  the  surface  than  deeper.  The  soil  for  these 
early  so-called  six -weeks  varieties  must  be  excessively 
fertile  and  the  cultivation  regular  and  thorough,  to  force 
the  plants  to  maturity  in  the  short  period  of  their 
growth.  They  may  be  planted  in  rows  three  feet  apart 
and  three  to  five  grains  dropped  every  two  feet  in  the 
row.  It  is  better  to  thin  than  to  replant.  At  these  dis- 
tances, best  results  will  be  obtained  by  leaving  only  one 
stalk  in  the  hill.  Slight  frost  will  retard  the  growth  of 
early  planted  corn  but  will  not  otherwise  seriously  in- 
jure it.  At  the  same  time  that  the  early  varieties  are 
planted,  a  few  rows  of  some  early  double -eared  variety 
should  be  planted  and  one  of  the  large  field  varieties,  to 
keep  up  the  supply.  The  planting  of  several  varieties  of 
different  earliness  is  more  satisfactory  than  making  suc- 
cessive plantings  of  one  variety. 

The  surface  should  be  lightly  stirred  with  a  garden 
push -plow  or  with  the  garden -rake  at  short  intervals, 
and  especially  as  soon  as  the  surface  is  dry  enough  after 
each  rain  which  falls  in  sufficient  quantity  to  cause  the 
formation  of  a  crust  upon  the  surface  of  the  soil  as  it 
dries.    Avoid  cultivation  deeper  than  two  inches.    As 


Varieties    of  Sweet   and   Field    Corn 


81 


fast  as  the  corn  is  gathered  for  the  table,  cut  the  stalks 
and  feed  to  stock,  or  if  not  needed,  then  cure  for  the 
winter  use. 

Uarly  Adams,  or  Burlington  (not  Adams  Extra-Early), 
is  a  superior  early  variety  producing  reasonably  large 
ears,  but  is  not  a  sugar  corn.    StowelVs  Evergreen  Stveet 


Crosby  Sweet  Corn. 


follows  this  in  close  succession,  produces  large  ears  for 
sugar  corn  and  remains  long  in  edible  condition. 

BlounVs  Prolific,  a  double-eared  variety  of  dent  corn, 
is  an  excellent  garden  variety  which  follows  the  Stowell 
in  prompt  succession.  Following  this  but  planting  at  the 
same  time,  use  Alhemarle  Prolific  from  seed  groAvn  in 
Virginia  or  in  that  latitude.  Marlboro  Prolific,  an  excel- 
lent double -eared  corn,  comes  in  after  the  latter  with 
medium-sized  ears.    Plant  deep  in  summer.     Follow  the 


82  Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

early  crops  of  green  peas,  snap  beans  and  cabbage  with 
any  of  the  last  three  varieties  and,  at  the  last  cultivation 
of  the  Irish  potatoes,  drop  a  few  grains  of  corn  in  alter- 
nate middles  three  feet  apart.  In  all  plantings  after 
June  first,  plant  cow-peas  with  the  corn,  and  as  fast  as 
the  crops  of  roasting-ears  are  used,  remove  the  stalks 
and  cultivate  the  cow-peas. 

The  most  serious  enemy  to  young  corn  is  the  hud- 
tvorm,  which  bores  into  the  young  plant  when  quite  small 
and  destroys  the  bud.  The  only  known  preventive  is  to 
soak  the  seed  until  well  swollen  and  then  stir  it  in  water 
containing  coal-tar  and  crude  carbolic  acid,  which  covers 
the  grain  and  repels  not  only  this  insect  but  other 
enemies.  The  cutworm,  if  not  destroyed  by  winter 
plowing,  is  troublesome  to  shallow  planted  corn,  but  fre- 
quently cuts  the  plant  above  the  bud  and  hence  does 
not  destroy  it.  The  corn-ivorm  (cotton -boll  worm) 
attacks  the  tender  ears  before  they  are  ready  for  the 
table  and  often  disfigures  the  ears.  No  preventive  of 
this  pest  is  known.  The  hill -hug  punctures  the  stalk 
near  the  ground  and  deposits  its  eggs,  and  these  develop 
into  a  grub  which  subsists  upon  the  interior  of  the  stalk. 
This  insect  is  often  destructive  to  field  corn,  but  its 
attack  is  generally  too  late  to  seriously  injure  garden 
crops.  If  corn  in  the  roasting-ear  stage  is  threatened  by 
approaching  frost,  the  whole  stalk  may  be  harvested  and 
stored  under  shelter,  where  the  ears  will  remain  fresh 
and  edible  for  ten  days. 

The  advent  of  the  cooking -stove  has  brought  into 
disuse  some  of  the  old  methods  of  preparing  "roasting- 
ears,"  such  as  roasting  before  the  fire  until  brown  and 


^^  Roasting   Ears,"    Hominy   and  Ash -cake        83 

covering,  with  part  of  the  shuck  left  on,  in  hot  ashes 
and  roasting  until  done.  Sprinkle  salt  over  the  grain, 
split  the  grains  along  the  rows  with  a  sharp  knife,  and 
eat  from  the  cob.  The  memory  of  my  relish  for  the 
"roasting -ear"  thus  eaten  is  as  appetizing  as  that  of  the 
"ginger  cake"  eaten  in  childhood.  The  names  of  the 
dishes  now  prepared  from  "mutton"  corn  is  legion,  one 
of  the  best  of  which  is  corn  pudding,  which  is  made  of 
grated  corn  seasoned  with  milk,  butter,  eggs  and  salt, 
and  baked.  It  is  boiled  and  served  on  the  ear,  or  boiled 
and  sliced  from  the  ear  after  splitting  the  grains  with  a 
knife,  and  made  into  fritters,  etc. 

On  the  old  farm  in  the  halcyon  days  of  the  old  South, 
"big  hominy"  was  a  choice  dish  made  from  the  whole 
ripe  corn.  A  mortar  was  made  by  burning  out  the 
center  of  a  block  three  feet  long  sawed  from  a  large 
tree.  In  this  the  clean  corn  was  placed  and  beaten  with 
an  iron  pestle  to  remove  the  husk.  "Lye  hominy,"  still 
a  favorite  dish,  is  made  by  boiling  corn  with  a  gill  of 
concentrated  lye  in  the  pot  of  corn  until  the  husk  slips 
off  and  the  grains  are  soft.  Then  wash  and  pour  off  the 
husk.  Enough  of  this  is  cooked  at  one  boiling  to  last  a 
family  a  week.   It  is  beaten  to  soften  the  grain,  and  fried. 

The  "ash  cake"  is  made  by  placing  the  dough,  made 
as  usual  for  bread,  on  the  hearth,  swept  clean  and  cov- 
ered with  hot  ashes:  when  done,  wash  off  the  ashes 
quickly  while  it  is  hot.  It  is  also  wrapped  in  large 
cabbage  leaves  and  cooked  in  the  ashes  in  the  same  way. 
Plain  corn  bread  properh'  cooked  and  eaten  with  fresh 
butter  and  milk  makes  an  excellent  lunch,  and  is  a 
wholesome  and  nutritious  food. 


84  Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual, 

CORN    SALAD 

Corn  salad,  known  also  as  "lamb's  lettuce,"  is  a  native 
of  Europe,  Africa  and  parts  of  North  America.  It  is 
more  hardy  than  lettuce,  for  which  it  is  used  as  a  substi- 
tute. Sow  in  earl.y  fall  for  winter  salad  or  in  earlj^  spring. 
It  is  ready  for  use  in  sixty  days.  It  is  sown  in  drills 
eighteen  inches  apart  and  thinned  to  four  to  six  inches 
in  the  drill.  It  is  commonly  used  as  a  cold  salad  and 
sometimes  mixed  with  cress,  mustard  or  other  pungent 
salad  plants.  It  is  sometimes  boiled  and  used  as  a 
substitute  for  spinach,  which  see. 

cow -PEAS 

Cow-peas,  also  known  as  field  peas  or  corn-field  peas. 
While  custom  has  given  this  the  name  of  pea,  it  is 
botanically  a  bean,  and  while  it  is  mainly  cultivated  as  a 
field  crop,  some  of  its  varieties  deserve  a  place  in  the 
garden.  Apart  from  its  value  as  a  catch -crop,  to  be 
grown  for  the  improvement  of  the  soil  between  the 
spring  and  fall  plantings  of  the  usual  garden  vegetables, 
it  being  a  legume  or  nitrogen-collector  and  supplier  of 
humus,  it  contributes  a  very  palatable  variety  to  the 
table  supply.  It  may  be  grown  in  drills,  broadcasted 
alone  or  in  the  corn.  There  are  several  varieties  which 
are  as  much  relished  by  many  southern  families  as  is  the 
Boston  bean  in  the  North.  Gathered  when  the  beans  or 
peas  are  fully  grown,  — the  pods  change  color  prepara- 
tory to  ripening, — they  make  a  boiled  dish  worthy  of  a 
place  upon  the  gentleman's  table,  as  well  as  upon  that  of 


Coiv-peas   and    Their    Uses.     Cress  85 

the  laborer.  They  constitute  a  most  nourishing  as  well 
as  a  wholesome  food. 

The  Black-eyed  variety,  of  which  there  are  two  types, 
differing  only  in  the  size  of  the  bean  and  in  earliness, 
has  become  a  standard  article  in  the  stocks  of  family 
grocers.  This  is  a  kidney -shaped  white  pea  with  a  black 
eye. 

The  Mush  pea,  so  called  from  the  fact  that  when 
boiled  the  individual  peas  mash  into  a  soft  mass,  is 
highly  prized  for  the  table,  and  is  also  kept  in  stock  by 
the  grocers  of  our  towns  and  cities.  This  is  a  roundish, 
yellowish  white  pea  of  good  quality.  A  small  variety 
known  as  the  Lady  pea  is  also  grown  for  table  use.  This 
is  neither  so  productive  nor  so  well  flavored  as  the 
others. 

The  peas  are  usually  boiled  with  a  small  piece  of  side 
bacon  and  eaten  warm  for  dinner.  They  are  also  used 
mashed  and  fried  as  a  breakfast  dish.  Roasted  in  the 
hulls  in  hot  ashes,  they  make  a  delicious  dish,  fit  not 
only  "for  a  king,"  but,  what  is  better,  for  the  farmer  or 
gardener,  who  should  live  on  the  best  the  country  affords. 
Black -eyed  peas  constitute  one  of  the  standard  crops  in 
my  garden  and,  besides  furnishing  a  choice  dish  when 
gathered  just  before  maturity,  are  used  during  the  winter. 

CRESS 

Cress,  sometimes  called  pepper- grass  on  account  of 
its  crisp,  pungent  taste.  There  are  many  types  of  plants 
known  as  cress.  One  is  found  growing  spontaneously  in 
pastures  in  Virginia,  which  is  used  either  as  a  boiled  or 


86  Southern    Oardener^s   Practical   Mamial 

cold  salad.  On  fertile,  loamy  soil,  it  produces  quite  an 
ornamental  spreading  plant  and  is  green  all  winter. 
Seed  sown  in  the  early  fall  furnishes  fresh,  crisp  salad 
throughout  the  fall,  winter  and  early  spring,  when  it 
seeds  abundantly  and  vegetates  in  the  first  cool  weather 
in  early  fall.  It  is  sometimes  called  Virginia  cress.  The 
garden  cress  is  well  worthy  of  a  place  in  every  garden. 
There  are  few  plants  with  more  ornamental  foliage  than 
the  curled -leaf  varieties,  resembling  in  appearance  curled 
parsley  and  curled  kale.  This  is  excellent  as  a  boiled 
salad  or  mixed  with  lettuce  to  impart  pungency  to  a 
salad.  As  a  garnish  for  cold  meats  it  is  unsurpassed. 
The  broad-leaved  varieties  are  fit  only  for  boiling.  Water 
cress  is  the  most  popular  as  a  market  varietJ^  This, 
once  started  under  favorable  conditions,  will  perpetuate 
itself.  It  thrives  best  on  the  border  of  fresh  streams  or 
in  running  water. 

CUCUMBER 

This  is  a  tender  trailing  annual.  The  flowers  are 
yellow,  and  appear  in  the  axils  of  the  leaves.  The  essen- 
tial organs  of  reproduction  are  found  in  different  flowers 
on  the  same  plant.  The  pistillate  flowers  are  indicated 
by  the  small  cucumber  below  the  flower,  while  the 
staminate  flowers  have  only  the  flower -stem.  The  pistils 
are  almost  entirely  dependent  upon  insects  for  pollena- 
tion.  When  grown  under  glass,  it  is  necessary  to  hand- 
poUenize  or  to  confine  a  colony  of  bees  with  the  plants 
to  insure  production.  This  was  one  of  the  earliest  vege- 
tables  grown.  It  was  a  favorite  with  the  Romans,  and 
was  introduced  into  England  during  the  latter  part  of 


Hoiv    to    Groiv    Cucumbers   in    the    South  87 

the  sixteenth  century.  Half  a  dozen  plants  will  supply 
the  table  of  an  average  family,  but  an  extra  quantity  is 
usually  grown  and  the  surplus  of  the  daily  gatherings 
is  stored  in  jars  or  tubs  and  covered  with  salt,  to 
preserve  for  pickling. 

Formerly  holes  were  dug  six  feet  apart  each  way  and 
partly  filled  with  well-decomposed  manure.  Hills  were 
slightly  raised  above  the  general  level,  using  rich  garden 
loam  to  form  the  surface  in  which  the  seed  were  deposited. 
I  long  since  abandoned  this  method.  Prepare  and  plant  as 
follows :  Open  a  deep  trench  with  a  good  turn  -  plow,  turn  - 
ing  two  full  furrows  on  each  side,  and  leaving  six  inches 
in  the  center  of  the  surface  soil  to  be  mixed  with  a  heavy 
application  of  compost  and  commercial  fertilizer.  After 
these  are  thoroughly  incorporated  with  soil  and  subsoil 
by  running  a  long,  narrow  bull -tongue  several  times 
back  and  forth  in  the  trench,  return  the  surface  soil, 
forming  a  slight  bed.  Rake  this  down  and  pulverize 
thoroughly  with  the  garden -rake.  Now,  w^ith  a  seed- 
planter,  sow  the  seed  thinly  in  the  center  of  the  bed 
when  danger  of  frost  is  over.  If  more  than  one  row  is 
to  be  planted,  let  there  be  five  feet  of  space  between 
them.  One  row  fifty  feet  long  will  furnish  an  abundant 
supply.  Just  before  the  plants  show  above  ground, 
saturate  some  sawdust  with  crude  carbolic  acid  and 
sprinkle  it  along  the  row  to  keep  oif  the  fleas,  cutworms 
and  striped  cucumber  beetles.  When  the  plants  have  gen- 
erally formed  the  first  true  leaf  or,  as  commonly  expressed, 
the  third  leaf,  thin  the  plants  to  two  every  fifteen  to 
eighteen  inches,  leaving  the  most  vigorous  plants.  Cul- 
tivate frequently  with  garden- rake.   When  the  vines  begin 


88  Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Manual 

to  run,  pinch  off  the  ends  to  increase  branching.  Continue 
shallow  cultivation  until  the  vines  cover  the  ground,  but 
do  not  move  the  vines.  Gather  the  green  cucumbers  as 
soon  as  large  enough  for  use,  except  a  few  typical  speci- 
mens to  be  left  for  seed.  For  this  purpose,  select  the 
finest  specimens,  and  save  enough  to  last  several  years. 
Dry,  label  with  the  name  of  the  variety  and  the  year  in 
which  they  were  grown,  and  store  where  rats  and  mice 
will  not  find  them.  They  are  good  for  eight  or  ten  years. 
Old  seed  is  preferred  to  fresh,  for  the  reason  that  the 
weaker  seed  perishes  and  we  have  a  natural  selection  of 
the  best.  If  very  early  cucumbers  are  desired,  plant  a 
few  seeds  in  the  greenhouse  or  hotbed.  As  soon  as  the 
plants  fully  develop  their  seed-leaves,  transplant  to  two- 
inch  pots  filled  with  rich  loam  and  sink  the  pots  in  the 
hotbed  or  coldframe,  well  protected  from  frost.  Shade 
for.  a  few  days  until  they  are  well  established,  and  keep 
moist  but  not  wet.  After  danger  of  frost  has  passed, 
turn  them  from  the  pots  into  open  ground  after  saturat- 
ing the  soil  in  the  pots.  The  planting  of  the  seed  should 
be  so  timed  that  the  plants  will  have  begun  to  run  by 
the  time  those  planted  in  the  open  ground  vegetate.  I 
have  hastened  fruiting  two  weeks  by  this  method. 

The  best  and  most  popular  variety  for  both  family 
use  and  market  is  the  Early  White  Spine.  More  of  these 
are  planted  than  of  all  other  varieties  combined.  Early 
Russian,  Early  Cluster  and  Early  Frame  are  popular 
varieties  for  both  table  and  pickling.  Long  Green  is  an 
old  variety  which  is  a  good  table  cucumber,  but  is  grown 
principally  for  pickling.  The  fruit  is  long,  of  uniform 
shape  and  a  deep  green  color. 


Enemies   of  the    Cucumber.     Eggplant  89 

By  dropping  the  green  cucumbers  into  a  close  vessel 
when  gathered  fresh  from  the  vines,  and  sprinkling  salt 
thickly  over  them,  they  make  their  own  brine  and  keep 
indefinitely  until  needed  for  pickling.  Nothing  is  more 
appetizing  than  a  dish  of  cucumbers  and  fresh  onions 
sliced  together  on  the  dinner  table  in  early  summer.  By 
some  the  large  cucumbers  are  eaten  cooked. 

The  striped  cucumber  beetle  may  be  kept  from  the 
young  plants,  as  already  stated,  by  using  by  the  side  of 
the  plants,  sawdust  saturated  with  crude  carbolic  acid. 
One  application  is  generally  sufficient.  No  remedy  has 
been  discovered  for  the  pickle -worm,  which  attacks  the 
young  fruit  often  before  flowering  is  completed.  Plant- 
lice  are  occasionally  troublesome,  but  never  attack  all  of 
the  plants.  Destroy  infested  plants  by  spraying  with 
kerosene  emulsion. 

EGG   PLANT 

This  plant  belongs  to  the  same  family  as  the  tomato 
and  Irish  potato  (Solanum).  It  is  a  native  of  the  tropics, 
and  hence  requires  a  comparatively  high  temperature  for 
germination  of  the  seed.  If  early  fruitage  is  desired,  the 
seed  should  be  sown  in  a  hotbed  to  themselves  in  rows 
eight  inches  apart  and  kept  carefully  protected  from 
cold  until  they  vegetate.  As  soon  as  the  third  leaf 
appears,  thin  and  set  the  surplus  plants  in  two-inch  pots 
filled  with  rich  loam  and  sink  the  pots  to  their  tops  in  a 
coldframe,  or,  in  the  absence  of  the  pots,  in  the  soil  of 
the  coldframe  in  four- inch  squares,  to  develop  strong, 
stocky  plants.    The  young  seedlings  are  often  attacked 


90 


Southern    Gardeners   Practical   Manual 


by  a  small  black  flea -beetle  which  eats  the  seed-leaves. 
Tobacco,  snuff,  or  a  weak  spray  of  nicotine  will  make  it 
uncomfortable  for  them.  If  there  is  not  a  hotbed  avail- 
able, a  box  twelve  inches  deep  may  be  filled  half  full  of 
fermenting  manure  and  this  covered  with  six  inches  of 
rich,  mellow  loam  and  the  seed  planted  in  this.  A  piece 
of  glass  or  cheese-cloth  soaked  in  linseed  oil  may  be  used 
over  the  box,  and  this  placed  in  a  warm  southern  expo- 
sure during  the  day 
and  removed  to  cover 
at  night.  One  dozen 
plants  will  produce 
an  ample  supply  for 
the  family  table  and 
some  to  spai'e  for 
neighbors.  A  deep, 
sandy  loam,  well 
drained  and  liberally 
manured  with  thor- 
oughly fermented 
compost,  will  give 
best  results.  The 
plants  should  not  be 
transplanted  to  the 
open  ground  until 
they  are  well  devel- 
oped and  hardened 
by  exposing  them  to 
the  sun  in  pleasant 
XT      ..    ,      y.i/. /w--oyc..        weather.      Being     a 

New  York  Improved  Purple  *v<.cxl  &      ^ 

Eggplant.  plant  of  tropical  ori- 


Fia.  9. 


3fosf    Popular    Varieties   of  Eggplant  91 

gin,  it  needs  warm  weather.  The  plants  should  not  be 
nearer  than  three  feet  when  finally  transplanted.  Give 
frequent,  shallow  cultivation.  They  should  commence 
supplying  the  table  by  the  middle  of  June  and  continue 
until  frost.  The  fruit  is  in  condition  for  use  from  the 
time  it  attains  the  size  of  a  goose -egg  until  grown. 

The  name  is  derived  from  the  White  variety,  which 
resembles  an  eg^  when  small.  The  Purple  is,  however, 
the  most  popular  and  most  generally  grown  both  in  the 
garden  and  for  market.  New  York  Improved  Purple  is 
a  universal  favorite,  and  well  deserves  its  popularity. 
Black  Beauty,  Spineless  and  Excelsior  Tree  are  new 
favorites,  each  claiming  some  special  superiority.  It  will 
be  very  difficult  to  supplant  the  New  York  Improved 
Purple.  No  garden  is  complete  without  a  few  plants  of 
this  delicious  vegetable.  It  is  especially  adapted  to  the 
South,  and  yet  it  is  too  often  absent  from  southern 
gardens. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  this  plant  grows  more 
readily  and  fruits  more  abundantly  in  the  South  than 
further  north,  most  southern  growers  purchase  seed  from 
northern  seedsmen.  Every  southern  gardener  should 
save  his  own  seed.  Ripeness  is  indicated  by  a  change 
from  the  glassy  purple  to  a  dingy  yellow.  The  best 
fruits  from  vigorous,  productive  plants  should  be  selected. 
Slice  off  the  surplus  flesh,  leaving  the  interior  where  the 
seeds  are  found.  Slice  this,  place  in  vessels  of  water 
and  allow  sufficient  fermentation  to  soften  the  pulp. 
Pass  this  through  a  coarse  sieve  to  remove  the  larger 
part,  and  the  balance,  with  the  seed,  through  a  finer- 
meshed  sieve  to  separate  the  small  particles  from  the 


92  Southern    Gardener^ s    Practical   Manual 

seed.  Now  wash  the  seeds,  and  dry  them  in  the  shade. 
The  seed  and  pulp  should  not  be  allowed  to  ferment  more 
than  three  or  four  days,  since  the  heat  generated  by 
excessive  fermentation  may  injure  the  seed.  Enough 
seed  may  be  saved  for  an  ordinary  garden  by  allowing 
the  fruit  to  approach  decomposition,  when  the  seed  may 
be  scraped  out  with  a  spoon,  dried  in  the  shade  and 
stored  for  next  year's  planting. 

While  the  Colorado  potato -beetle  prefers  the  potato 
and  the  nettle,  it  will  attack  the  eggplant.  A  dusting 
of  Paris  green  diluted  with  flour,  gypsum  or  air -slaked 
lime,  will  promptly  destroy  it.  The  plants  are  some- 
times destroyed  by  a  species  of  blight,  which  attacks  the 
root  and  turns  the  wood  dark.  Under  serious  attacks  of 
this  disease  the  whole  plant  wilts  and  dies.  The  diseased 
plants  should  be  dug  up  and  burned. 

The  fruit  may  be  sliced  and  fried  with  Qgg  and  bread- 
crumbs, or  boiled  until  soft  and  the  interior  scraped  out 
with  a  spoon  and  then  fried  in  batter.  A  delicious  dish 
is  the  result  of  each  method.  This  plant  withstands  heat 
and  drought,  and  supplies  the  table  during  the  fall  when 
other  vegetables  are  scarce. 

ENDIVE 

Endive  is  a  hardy  annual  cultivated  for  its  leaves  in 
Europe  and  to  some  extent  near  our  large  cities,  but  is 
seldom  found  in  the  private  garden.  The  leaves  are 
blanched  by  tying  together.  In  our  climate,  where  the 
cresses,  kale,  spinach  and  lettuce  are  so  easily  grown  for 
winter  and  early  spring  use,  it  is  not  needed. 


Flavoring    and    Condiment    Vegetables  93 

GARLIC 

This  is  the  most  strongly  flavored  of  the  onion  family. 
The  bulbs  are  divided  into  bulblets,  which  are  separated 
and  used  as  are  the  onion  sets  for  propagating  the  plants. 
It  is  used  but  little  by  Americans,  but  is  highly  prized 
by  some  nationalities,  who  use  it  much  as  we  do  onions. 
It  possesses  medicinal  properties,  but  is  used  less  for  this 
purpose  than  formerly.  Sliced  and  sprinkled  with  sugar, 
a  syrup  is  produced  which  is  used  as  an  expectorant.  It 
is  also  used  as  a  vermifuge.  In  our  large  cities  it  is 
exposed  on  the  market  braided  together  by  its  tops.  It 
is  well  for  every  garden  to  have  a  small  patch  in  some 
out-of-the-way  corner,  where  it  will  multiply  from  year 
to  year  by  reproduction  from  the  cloves,  without  cultiva- 
tion, if  undisturbed. 

HORSE-RADISH 

This  is  a  perennial  cruciferous  plant  grown  for  its 
pungent  roots.  It  is  propagated  from  pieces  of  the  root 
cut  to  two-  or  three -inch  lengths.  When  grown  for 
market,  roots  not  less  than  six  inches  long  should  be 
planted.  The  soil  should  be  very  deeply  prepared,  and 
if  fertilizers  are  used  they  should  be  placed  as  deep  as 
possible.  In  the  family  garden  a  rich  border  deeply 
trenched  is  the  best  place  to  grow  horse-radish,  to  pre- 
vent the  multiplication  of  lateral  roots.  The  piece -roots 
may  be  planted  at  any  time  when  the  soil  is  in  proper 
condition,  from  October  to  April.  The  fall -planted  will 
start  earlier  in  spring  and  thus  have  a  longer  season  for 


94  Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Manual 

growth.  If  the  soil  is  sufficiently  fertile,  the  roots  will 
be  ready  for  use  in  the  fall  of  the  second  year.  Coarse 
fresh  manures  are  not  desirable  for  this  plant. 

The  harlequin  bug  is  especially  fond  of  sucking  the 
leaves  of  this  plant,  and,  since  it  grows  throughout  the 
summer,  becomes  verj^  troublesome.  A  fungous  disease 
often  attacks  the  main  root  just  below  the  crown,  hollow- 
ing out  the  center  and  rendering  it  useless. 

The  roots  are  grated  and  seasoned  with  vinegar  as  a 
condiment  to  be  used  with  meats,  fish  and  oysters. 
Pickled  with  strong  vinegar  and  tightly  bottled,  it  will 
keep  indefinitely. 

KALE 

Kale  is  very  hardy,  and,  when  sown  in  the  early  fall, 
will  furnish  tender  greens  during  the  winter  and  early 
spring.  When  sown  in  spring,  it  produces  a  quick 
growth  and  the  leaves  are  ready  for  use  in  six  weeks 
after  planting.  Sow- the  seed  thinly  in  row^s  three  feet 
apart,  covering  the  seed  lightly  with  fine  soil.  When  the 
plants  are  two  inches  high,  thin  them  out,  leaving  one 
plant  every  three  inches.  Kale  should  be  fertilized  and 
cultivated  as  turnips  when  grown  for  salad. 

Curled  Emerald  Isle  is  one  of  the  best  varieties  for 
either  fall  or  spring  planting. 

KOHLRABI 

Kohlrabi,  a  species  of  the  cabbage  family,  is  grown 
for  its  turnip-like,  enlarged  stems.  The  edible  part  con- 
sists of  the  enlarged  base  of  the  leaf-stalk.    Its  cultiva- 


Cultivation   of  the   Leek.     Lettuce  95 

tion  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  cabbage.  White  Vienna 
is  the  favorite  variety.  The  bulb,  when  cooked  young, 
resembles  in  quality  the  rutabaga  turnip.  It  is  little 
grown  in  this  country  and  is  not  in  demand  except  for 
immigrants  from  European  countries. 

THE   LEEK 

The  leek  is  the  mildest  of  the  onion  family,  and  for 
this  reason  is  preferred  by  some  to  the  onion.  Like  the 
garlic,  it  has  flat  leaves.  The  seeds  are  usually  sown  in 
beds  and  transplanted  from  these  to  the  open  ground. 
The  seed  may  be  sown  in  fall  or  early  spring.  The  culti- 
vation is  similar  to  that  of  the  onion,  and  the  vegetable 
is  intended  for  use  green.  The  soil  is  gradually  drawn 
to  the  stem  for  the  purpose  of  blanching.  The  most 
popular  varieties  are  London  Flag,  Scotch  Flag  and 
Large  Rouen.    It  is  little  cultivated  in  southern  gardens. 

Every  part  of  the  plant  is  sometimes  used  in  flavoring 
soups  and  stews,  but  the  blanched  stem  and  bulb  are 
the  best  parts. 

LETTUCE 

This  plant  has  been  cultivated  for  over  twenty  centu- 
ries, and  yet  every  year  apparently  increases  in  pop- 
ularity with  people  of  cultivated  taste  There  are  few 
plants  so  easily  grown,  and  yet  it  may  be  classed  as  a 
luxury  on  southern  tables,  as  so  few  domestic  gardeners 
take  the  trouble  to  grow  it  at  the  season  when  it  is 
most  highly  appreciated.  The  best  varieties  are  intoler- 
ant  of  hot  sunshine,  while  very  little  protection  will 


96  Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 


Fig.  10.    Hanson  Lettuce.    Typical  mature  plants  about  one-fifth  natural 
size.     Bulletin  69,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture. 

secure  a  continuous  supply  from  November  to  July.  A 
simple,  cheap  coldframe,  covered  either  with  cloth  or 
glass — the  latter  to  be  preferred,  though  somewhat  more 
costly — will  protect  it  from  our  severest  cold.  It  will 
live  through  the  winter  in  the  open  ground  in  this  lati- 
tude, but  makes  little  growth  until  early  spring.  If 
grown  in  coldframes,  these  should  be  opened  during 
every  bright  day  when  the  mean  temperature  in  the 
shade  is  not  below  45°  Fahr.  Fill  the  coldframe 
with  soil  in  which  no  lettuce  has  been  grown,  to  the 
depth  of  six  inches,  cover  this  with  three  inches 
of  pulverized  manure  which  has  been  thoroughly  fer- 


The    Two    Types   of  Lettuce 


97 


mented,  and  dig  it  into  the  soil  and  rake  smooth.  The 
top  of  the  soil  must  not  be  so  near  the  cloth  or  glass 
that  the  leaves  of  the  plants,  when  large  enough  for  use, 
will  touch  them.  Sow  in  drills  six  inches  apart,  and,  as 
soon  as  large  enough,  thin  to  three  inches  in  the  drill; 
transplant  those  taken  out  to  another  frame  six 
inches  apart  each  way.  As  the  plants  grow  large  enough 
for  use,  draw  out  alternate  plants;  the  remaining  plants 
will  then  have  room  for  larger  growth.  If  the  soil  is 
kept  too  moist  and  the  ventilation  insufficient,  a  fungus 
often  attacks  the  roots,  destroying  the  plants, 

There  are  two  distinct  types  of  lettuce — the  cabbage 
or  heading  varieties  and  the  "cutting"  varieties,  or  those 


Fig.  11.  Hanson  Lettuce.  Typical  mature  plants,  longitudinal  sections, 
about  one-fifth  natural  size.  Bulletin  69,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agri- 
culture. 


G 


98  Southern    Gardener's   Practical   Manual 

which  do  not  form  a  head.  The  latter  are  preferred  by 
many  for  home  use  and  are  much  grown  for  local 
markets.    The  heading  varieties  are  grown  for  shipping. 

Early  Curled  Simpson  is  a  general  favorite  for  the 
early  crop.  It  does  not  head  but  forms  a  very  showy 
plant,  with  its  curled  leaves  arranged  in  a  compact  mass. 
It  is  tender,  crisp  and  quite  ornamental.  I  have 
grown  this  varietj'  for  many  j^ears,  and  still  use  it  under 
coldframes.  The  Black -seeded  Simpson  is  similar  to 
the  curled  but  grows  much  larger.  This  is  an  excellent 
variety  for  early  spring  sowing  and  transplanting  to  the 
open  ground.  Boston  Market  or  White- seeded  Tennis 
Ball  is  the  most  desirable  early -heading  variety  to  be 
grown  in  the  coldframe  or  for  forcing.  California 
Cream  Butter  has  been  grown  with  very  satisfactory 
results.  It  produces  compact  heads,  tender  and  crisp. 
There  are  numerous  excellent  varieties  offered  bj^  the 
seedsmen.  The  old  Hanson  variety  has  been  improved 
until  it  ranks  with  the  best.  All  of  the  varieties  are 
good,  some  better  and  some  best  for  certain  localities. 

Select  the  best  plants  and  save  for  seed.  One  plant 
will  produce  more  seed  than  needed  for  the  home 
garden . 

MUSKMELONS    (  CANT ALOUPES ) 

Cantaloupes,  as  known  in  the  South,  and  muskmelons 
in  the  northern  seed  catalogues,  are  the  most  popular 
fruit  in  their  season,  from  June  to  September.  All  first- 
class  hotels  and  restaurants  serve  them  at  breakfast. 
The  soil  best  adapted  to  them  is  a  deep,  fertile,  sandy 
loam  heavily  manured  broadcast  and  in  the  drill  or  hill. 


How   to    Grow   Miiskmelcns ,  or    Cantaloupes       99 

As  earl}^  ripening  of  the  fruit  is  very  desirable,  whether 
grown  for  the  family  table  or  for  market,  phosphates 
should  be  used  liberally.  Most  authorities  advise  plant- 
ing this  crop  in  hills  (raised  two  inches  above  the 
general  level)  six  feet  apart  both  ways.  After  the  land 
has  been  manured  broadcast,  plowed,  cross -plowed,  and 
harrowed  until  in  good  texture,  it  is  marked  off  in 
six-foot  checks,  two  shovelfuls  of  rich  compost  applied 
in  each  check,  and  this  supplemented  by  a  handful  of 
standard  fertilizer.  These  are  worked  into  the  soil  with 
a  pronged  hoe  or  spade  fork  until  it  is  thoroughly  mixed 
to  a  depth  of  twelve  inches  over  a  space  of  one  and  one 
one -half  to  two  feet  in  diameter.  Open  two  shallow^ 
trenches  across  this  bed  at  right  angles  to  each  other, 
and  plant. 

The  seeds  of  this  melon,  if  properly  stored,  are 
good  for  ten  years.  Plant  eight  or  ten  seeds  in  one 
of  the  trenches  as  early  as  they  are  likely  to  ger- 
minate, and  cover  with  one  inch  of  fine  loam.  A  week 
later,  plant  the  other  trench  in  the  same  way.  If  the 
first  planting  fails,  the  seeond  will  insure  an  early  stand. 
If  the  plants  are  crowded,  thin  to  five.  Leave  these 
until  danger  from  the  cutworm  and  striped  beetle  is 
over  and  then  thin,  leaving  two  to  grow.  Commence 
surface  cultivation  as  soon  as  the  plants  appear,  and 
continue  it  at  short  intervals  until  the  vines  cover  the 
ground.  Do  not  move  the  vines  for  the  purpose  of  culti- 
vation. If  the  weeds  and  grass  appear  where  they  can- 
not be  cut  with  the  hoe  without  injuring  the  vines, 
pluck  them  out  with  the  hand,  as  it  is  very  important 
that  no  foreign  growth  be  allowed  amongst  the  vines. 


100         Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Maimal 

When  the  vines  have  run  a  foot  or  more,  pinch  the  bud 
from  the  main  vine  to  encourage  the  multiplication  and 
growth  of  the  lateral  shoots  on  which  the  fruit  is  pro- 
duced. The  main  vine  produces  principally  male  flow- 
ers, while  the  female  flowers  are  formed  on  the  laterals. 
There  will  still  be  enough  male  flowers  to  furnish  pollen. 
Pinching  the  main  vine  not  only  increases  the  number 
of  fruits,  but  stimulates  early  fruiting.  Planting  in  hills, 
as  above  described,  is  perhaps  best  on  thin  land  or  where 
the  melons  are  manured  only  in  the  hill,  but,  for  the  last 
twenty  years,  I  have  succeeded  better  by  the  following 
method:  Broadcast  thirty  two- horse -loads  of  unfer- 
mented  horse  manure  to  the  acre  in  February,  and  plow 
it  into  the  soil.  Every  week  or  ten  days  until  planting 
time,  replow,  going  as  deep  as  the  team  can  pull  the  plow. 
After  the  first  plowing,  use  a  long  bull-tongue  to  mix  the 
manure  and  increase  the  depth.  At  planting  time,  lay  off 
rows  five  feet  apart  and  open  them  as  deep  as  can  be 
done  with  the  plow.  In  these  furrows  apply,  at  the  rate  of 
a  ton  per  acre,  a  standard  complete  fertilizer  and  mix  with 
the  soil  and  subsoil  by  running  a  long,  narrow  bull- 
tongue  plow  several  times  through  the  furrow.  Turn 
two  furrows  into  the  rows  with  turn -plow,  and  finish  the 
beds  with  long  bull-tongues,  continuing  its  use  until  the 
furrows  meet  in  the  middles.  Harrow  the  beds  smooth — 
for  garden  culture,  rake  them — using  a  seed-drill  as 
directed  for  cucumbers,  strewing  the  seed  continuously 
in  the  center  of  each  bed.  A  mixture  of  lime,  salt  and 
wood  ashes  spread  immediately  over  the  seed  row  as 
soon  as  planted  will  increase  the  vigor  of  the  plants  and, 
to   some    extent,  keep   off  insect   enemies.     Sow   heavy 


Selpcfion    of   Cantaloupe    Seed  101 

enough  to  give  a  slight  white  appearance  to  the  surface. 
When  the  pL^nts  show  the  third  leaf,  thin  to  three  every 
eighteen  inches.  Later  take  out  two  of  these.  Saturate 
sawdust  or  some  other  absorbent  with  crude  carbolic  acid, 
and  sprinkle  it  around  the  plants  to  drive  off  insects. 
Cultivate  as  already  directed.  By  this  method,  I  have 
gathered  from  10,000  to  13,000  merchantable  melons 
per  acre.  Success  in  growing  cantaloupes  depends  to  an 
unusual  extent  upon  selection  of  seed.  Seed  should  be 
saved  only  from  melons  typical  of  the  variety  and  of 
best  quality,  having  reference  to  the  form  and  external 
netting,  the  color  and  texture  of  the  flesh  and  the  size  of 
the  cavity.  Only  the  green-fleshed  melons  possess  the 
peculiar  cantaloupe  flavor  combined  with  sweetness. 
Those  in  which  the  texture  of  the  meat  is  coarse  and 
fibrous  are  usuallj'  of  higher  flavor  than  those  with  fine- 
grained, compact  texture.  Commencing  in  1867, 1  selected 
seed  from  a  particular  type  of  melon  having  deep  green 
flesh  and  good  flavor,  keeping  only  the  seed  that  would 
sink  in  water,  thus  securing  the  plump,  heavy,  well- 
matured  seed  and  those  having  the  strongest  vital- 
ity. By  taking  only  those  which  sank  in  water,  the 
heaviest  seeds  were  saved.  By  using  only  such  seed, 
the  principle  of  the  "survival  of  the  flttest"  gave  me 
onl}^  those  of  the  strongest  vitality.  This  was  continued 
for  twenty- seven  years,  when  the  melons  approached 
perfection.  The  flavor  was  uniformly  "best,"  the  color 
of  the  flesh  green  and  of  ideal  texture,  and  the  cavity 
reduced  to  a  minimum,  while  the  weight  far  exceeded 
what  the  size  would  suggest.  From  this  variety,  in 
1880,  a  yield  of  13,000  per  acre  was  realized,  and  those 


102         Southern    Gardener^s    Practical   Manual 

sold  on  the  local  market  realized  $500  per  acre  after 
supplying  a  large  family  for  forty -five  days.  In  1894, 
half  the  stock  of  seed  planted  on  a  commercial  scale  in 
March  was  killed  by  a  severe  freeze  on  the  20th.  The 
other  half  was  then  planted  and,  after  the  plants  were  in 
bloom,  a  heavy  frost  on  May  19  destroyed  the  entire 
crop.  Thus  I  lost  stock  of  seed  that  could  not  have  been 
bought  at  ten  dollars  per  pound.  The  red  or  yellow-fleshed 
varieties  never  have  the  true  characteristic  cantaloupe 
flavor,  though  sweet  and  palatable.  I  plant  only  the 
green-fleshed  varieties.  Cantaloupes  for  home  use  should 
be  gathered  early  in  the  morning  and  stored  in  a  cool 
place  to  mellow — usually  for  twenty -four  hours.  They 
should  not  remain  on  the  vines  until  yellow,  but  should 
be  plucked  as  soon  as  the  stem  will  separate  readily  from 
the  melon  under  slight  pressure  to  one  side.  Maturity 
is  usually  indicated  by  a  slight  exudation  of  juice 
around  the  base  of  the  stem.  If  gathered  too  early,  they 
wilt  and  toughen  before  mellowing.  If  allowed  to  ripen 
on  the  vine,  they  lose  in  flavor. 

Cantaloupes  bear  the  male  and  female  organs  of  repro- 
duction in  different  flowers,  and  cross  readily  if  different 
varieties  are  planted  near  each  other  and  hybridize  with 
other  species  of  the  melon  family.  This  is  especially  true 
of  the  cucumber.  In  1880,  I  planted  four  rows  with 
seed  of  a  supposed  new  and  superior  variety  bought 
for  distribution  by  the  Georgia  State  Department  of 
Agriculture.  These  were  planted  in  a  two -acre  patch  of 
my  selected  seed.  Some  vines  produced  cucumbers,  but 
a  large  majority  were  true  hybrids  and  no  more  fit  to  be 
eaten  than  green  gourds.    Of  course,  no  seed  could  be 


The   Best    Variefies  of  Cantaloupes  103 

saved  from  melons  grown  in  that  patch.  They  do  not 
hybridize  so  readily  with  the  watermelon,  but  I  have 
seen  true  hybrids — the  melons  twice  the  size  of  the  can- 
taloupe, partially  netted  and  abnormally  large,  and 
the  flesh  tinged  with  red,  sweet,  but  without  the  true 
cantaloupe  flavor.  They  should  not  be  planted  nearer 
than  three  hundred  yards  to  other  species. 

Of  the  green -flesh  netted  varieties,  the  Jenny  Lind  is 
the  earliest.  While  it  is  small,  the  flavor  is  best  and  the 
vines  prolific.  In  form,  it  is  round  but  flattened  at  both 
stem  and  calyx.  It  should  be  gathered  while  the  outside 
is  still  green,  to  secure  best  flavor.  Some  of  these  should 
be  planted  as  first  early.  Netted  Gem,  now  generally 
known  as  RocJi-y  Ford,  is  one  of  the  oldest  varieties. 
This  is  a  small  oblong  melon,  thoroughly  netted  and  of 
good  flavor.  This  ripens  next  to  Jenny  Lind,  but  is  not 
so  highly  flavored.  This  is  the  most  popular  melon  with 
those  who  plant  on  a  commercial  scale  for  shipping,  but 
is  well  worthy  a  place  in  the  garden.  For  shipping,  it  is 
gathered  several  days  before  ripe  and  the  stem  cut  and 
left  attached  to  the  melon.  Its  uniformity  of  size  facili- 
tates packing  in  crates  for  shipping.  Its  small  size  makes 
it  convenient  for  serving  in  halves  on  the  hotel  table. 
Champion  Market.  This  is  a  nearly  round  melon,  thickly 
netted,  with  deep  green,  highly  flavored  flesh  and  very 
small  cavity.  It  is  medium  early  and  desirable.  Acme 
or  Baltimore.  This  is  a  beautiful,  oblong,  netted  melon, 
well  adapted  to  the  South.  It  is  earlier  than  Champion. 
Its  table  qualities  are  very  superior.  I  have  grown  it  for 
many  years.  If  grown  from  well -selected  seed,  its  type 
is  very  uniform.     The  flesh  is  deep  green  and  the  cavity 


104         Southern    Oardener^s   Practical   Mamial 

small.  Maulers  Superior  seems  to  be  a  reproduction  of 
the  old  variety  of  twenty  years  past,  known  then  as  the 
Netted  Green — a  thoroughly  netted,  round  melon  without 
corrugations.  The  flesh  is  deep  and  green,  with  typical 
coarse  texture  and  very  highly  flavored.  Montreal  or 
Montreal  Market  is  the  largest  really  good,  green -fleshed 
cantaloupe.  It  succeeds  well  in  the  South,  but  is  subject 
to  softening  at  the  bud  end  in  moist  seasons.  Nixon  is  a 
large,  netted,  green-fleshed  melon  w^iich  originated  near 
Augusta,  Ga.  It  is  next  in  size  to  Montreal,  and  well 
adapted  to  the  lower  South.  The  slight  red  tinge  of  the 
flesh  next  to  the  seed  suggests  a  suspicion  that  it  had  its 
origin  in  a  cross  with  the  watermelon.  Its  quality  is 
excellent  for  a  melon  of  its  size,  and  is  popular  w^herever 
grown.  Maulers  New  Model  is  a  comparatively  new 
variety  for  which  Mr.  William  Henry  Maule  claims  per- 
fection. This  is  worthy  of  trial  in  the  South.  I  have 
not  grown  it  and  hence  cannot  speak  from  personal 
experience  as  to  its  merits. 

Salmon -fleshed  Varieties. — Those  who  prefer  the 
yellow -fleshed  varieties  may  select  from  the  following 
list  of  standard  sorts:  Osage  Gem,  Paul  Rose,  Ferry^s 
Defender,  Maulers  Perfection,  Emerald  Gem. 

The  cutworm  and  striped  cucumber- beetle  are  the 
most  formidable  enemies  to  the  plants.  I  have  found 
sawdust  saturated  with  crude  carbolic  acid  sprinkled 
around  the  plants  the  most  eifective  preventive  of  their 
attacks.  The  best  safeguard  from  the  attack  of  the 
pickle- worm  is  to  have  the  melons  early.  It  is  a  common 
error  to  suppose  that  these  worms  enter  the  melon  where 
it  rests  upon  the  ground.    On  the  contrary,  they  most 


How   to   Protect    Cantaloupes  from    Insects      105 

frequently  enter  elsewhere.  The  worms  seem  to  f^ed 
upon  the  foliage  until  half  grown  and  then  cut  their  way 
into  the  melon.  They  often  avail  themselves  of  the  shel- 
ter of  a  leaf  resting  upon  the  melon.  If  cut  out  of  the 
green  melon  before  the  cavity  is  reached,  the  melon  will 
mature,  but  after  the  cavity  is  reached  and  air  admitted, 
the  melon  rots.  I  have  succeeded  in  completely  protect- 
ing my  garden  crop  by  the  use  of  six -pound  paper  bags, 
such  as  merchants  use  in  their  retail  business.  When 
the  melons  have  attained  the  size  of  a  goose-egg,  slip 
the  bags  about  the  stem  and  pin  through  the  fold  as  in 
bagging  grapes.  I  have  never  known  a  worm  to  attack  a 
melon  thus  protected.  Just  before  the  melons  should 
ripen,  tear  open  the  bag  just  enough  to  see  the  melon 
and  thus  discover  when  it  is  ripe.  It  is  common  to 
advise  placing  a  chip  under  each  melon  to  keep  the 
worms  out,  but  that  is  useless.  Lifting  the  melon 
off  of  the  ground  prevents  it  from  softening  and  often 
from  rotting  in  wet  spells. 

WATERMELON 

As  the  citric  family  of  fruits  is  especially  adapted  to 
warm  climates,  this  melon  is  especially  grateful  to  the 
palate  in  warm  weather.  It  delights  in  a  sandy  soil  of 
moderate  fertility.  It  will  not  succeed  upon  clay  or  any 
very  heavy  soil.  Second -year  new  ground  or  an  old 
broomsedge  field  where  there  is  no  crab -grass  seed, 
makes  typical  ground  for  watermelons.  They  should  not 
be  repeated  on  the  same  land  for  a  number  of  j-ears, 
since  the  plants  are  subject  to  blight  if  repeated.    The 


106         Southern    Gardener^s    Practical   Manual 

land  should  be  thoroiighlj'  broken  broadcast,  deep  fur- 
rows opened  ten  feet  apart  and  checked  every  eight  feet. 
Open  with  pronged  hoe  at  the  checks  a  space  eight 
inches  deep  and  two  feet  in  circumference.  Apply  in  these 
openings  a  good  shovelful  of  well -fermented  compost — 
about  five  pounds.  The  compost  made  of  600  pounds  of 
cottonseed,  600  of  manure,  600  of  high  grade  acid  phos- 
phate and  200  pounds  of  kainit,  thoroughly  mixed  and 
thrown  into  a  large  heap  to  ferment  for  six  weeks,  will 
be  free  from  live  seed  and  ready  to  be  promptly  utilized 
by  the  plants.  A  small  handful  of  cottonseed-meal  to  the 
hill  may  be  worked  into  the  soil  and  subsoil,  and  a  flat 
hill  made  over  the  manure  by  using  surface  soil,  and  the 
land  is  ready  for  the  seed.  Plant  as  directed  for  canta- 
loupes, half  the  seed  very  early  and  the  other  half  a 
week  later  to  be  sure  of  a  stand.  If  fresh  manure  is 
used,  it  should  be  applied  in  January  to  ripen  before 
planting  time.  This  should  be  covered  with  soil,  but  the 
hill  finished  just  before  planting.  If  enough  manure 
cannot  be  secured,  a  standard  commercial  compound 
mixed  in  the  hill  with  woods  mold  or  rich  loam  will 
answer  well,  but  I  prefer  some  manure  in  every  hill. 
Very  heavy  manuring  increases  the  growth  of  vine,  at 
the  expense  of  the  size  of  the  melons.  This  was  tested 
on  a  large  scale  in  1884,  using  one  shovelful  of  the  com- 
post— five  pounds — on  half  a  field  and  two  shovel- 
fuls— ten  pounds  —  on  the  other  half.  The  crop  was 
nearly  100  per  cent  better  where  five  pounds  were  used, 
and  the  melons  much  larger.  Cover  the  seed  with 
friable  soil  one  inch  in  depth,  six  to  ten  to  the  hill.  If 
baking  rains,  followed  by  drying  wind,  occur  before  the 


Cultivation   of  the    Watermelon  107 

plants  appear,  scratch  the  surface  of  the  hills  very 
lightly  to  break  the  crust.  Keep  the  surface  around  the 
young  plants  stirred.  As  soon  as  the  plants  form  the 
first  true  leaf,  thin  to  two  in  the  hill,  selecting  vigorous, 
stocky  plants.  Continue  shallow  cultivation,  receding 
from  the  row  with  the  plow  as  the  plants  grow.  Plant  a 
row  of  peas  in  the  middle  of  the  spaces  betw^een  the 
rows.  This  is  of  especial  importance  in  old  land  free 
from  the  roots  of  dead  plants,  since  the  pea  vines  will 
be  grasped  by  the  tendrils,  and  anchor  the  long  vines  and 
thus  prevent  them  from  being  turned  and  rolled  by 
severe  w4nds.  The  fact  that  the  new  ground  and  old 
broomsedge  fields  contain  many  dead  roots  on  the  sur- 
face to  which  the  vines  can  cling,  constitutes  one  advan- 
tage in  favor  of  such  fields.  The  vines  should  never  be 
moved  in  the  cultivation,  nor  should  they  be  cultivated 
while  wTt.  Some  writers  advise  pinching  back  the  main 
vine  as  for  cantaloupes.  This  is  a  mistake,  since  the 
female  flowers  appear  principally  on  the  main  vines  of 
the  watermelon  but  on  the  branches  of  the  cantaloupe. 
This  plant,  having  the  stamens  and  pistils  in  different 
flowers,  naturally  crosses  very  readily.  This  has  multi- 
plied varieties  to  such  an  extent  that  the  novice  experi- 
ences great  difficulty  in  selecting.  Some  of  the  best  for 
home  use  are:  Melver,  a  very  sweet  melon,  oblong  in 
form,  striped  exterior,  flesh  ideal  in  texture  and 
quality.  Rind  too  tender  for  shipping.  This  melon 
was  originated  by  Col.  E.  R.  Mclver,  of  Darlington 
county,  South  Carolina,  and  had  a  local  popularity 
long  before  it  had  a  place  in  the  seed  catalogues. 
Klecklexfs    Sweet    is    another    melon    of    superior   table 


108         Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Mammal 

qualities  but  too  tender  for  shipping.  It  is  a  long, 
oval -shaped  melon  with  dark  green  rind.  Flesh 
scarlet,  firm  and  delicious  in  flavor.  Bradford  is  a 
favorite  melon  for  home  use  and  local  markets  wherever 
grown.  It  is  very  early,  medium  in  size,  of  oblong  form, 
rind  striped,  flesh  red,  tender  and  crisp.  Gray  Monarch 
or  Long  White  Icing.  While  experimenting  with  varie- 
ties of  melons  nearly  twentj^  years  ago,  this  melon  was 
planted  as  Jordan^ s  Gray  Monarch.  By  the  side  of  it  was 
planted  what  was  known  as  the  Sugar  Loaf,  a  variety 
that  has  been  highly  prized  in  several  southern  states 
for  fifty  years.  The  two  varieties  were  identical  in  every 
material  respect,  even  to  producing  the  same  sport  of  a 
darker  greenish  gray.  Seminole,  no  doubt,  had  the  same 
origin,  since,  when  planted  by  the  old  Sugar  Loaf,  it 
produced  the  identical  sport  which  seems  deeply  inbred  in 
the  original  variety  and  those  derived  from  it.  They  are 
all  of  superior  table  quality,  having  deep  red  flesh, 
tender  and  crisp,  and  very  thin  rind.  Varieties  often 
change  in  varietal  characteristics  under  different  en- 
vironments. Georgia  Rattlesnake,  grown  in  the  sandy 
soils  in  the  vicinity  of  Augusta,  Ga.,  has  no  superior 
either  for  home  use  or  market;  but  150  miles  north  of 
Augusta  it  does  not  maintain  its  good  qualities. 

Buke  Jones,  Pride  of  Georgia  and  the  Jones. — These 
all  seem  to  have  been  derived  from  the  same  stock,  and, 
as  the  Jones  made  its  appearance  earlier,  we  are  inclined 
to  assign  to  it  the  parentage.  I  received  seed  of  the 
Jones  from  the  originator,  Mr.  Reuben  Jones,  of  Dough- 
erty county,  Georgia,  in  1884,  and  planted  it  in  1885, 
and  at  the  same  time  planted  it  under  another  name. 


Shipping    Watermelons    to   Market  109 

These  are  all  excellent,  showy  melons,  and,  while  not  as 
good  shippers  as  the  famous  Kolb  Gem,  which  I  planted 
first  in  1884,  they  are  superior  in  table  qualities.  A 
peculiarity  of  the  Jones  is  that  a  ten -pound  melon  car- 
ries the  same  good  table  qualities  as  the  largest  in  the 
patch.  Florida  Favorite  is  an  early,  oblong,  striped  melon 
of  superior  table  qualities.  It  is  too  small  for  shipping 
even  if  it  had  the  carrying  qualities,  but  for  home  use  it 
has  few  superiors.  Blue  Gem  has  become  very  popular 
as  a  shipping  melon,  and  is  highly  prized  also  for  table 
use.  It  has  become  quite  a  favorite  in  this  section.  The 
rind  of  this  melon  is  a  bluish  green,  uniform  all  over. 
A  solid -colored  melon  is  much  more  liable  to  sun -scald 
than  one  with  striped  rind.  This  is  true  whether  the 
color  is  solid  white,  green  or  black.  A  large  number  of 
superior  shipping  varieties  have  been  developed  in  the 
last  twenty  years.  A  round  melon  bears  the  pressure  of 
its  companions  better  than  an  oblong  shape,  because  it 
presents  a  double  arch  to  the  pressure,  while  the  oblong 
form  is  arched  only  laterally.  Kolb  Gem  was  a  pioneer 
in  this  line.  This,  besides  being  round,  has  not  a  thick, 
but  a  hard  outside  rind  and  a  very  firm  flesh.  All  of  the 
Jones  are  good  shippers,  and  so  are  Mammoth  Iron  Clad, 
Dixie  and  others. 

The  advance  in  watermelon -growing  for  market  has 
been  phenomenal  and  interesting.  In  1867,  sitting  in 
front  of  the  old  Planters'  Hotel  at  Augusta,  Ga.,  I  saw 
an  Irishman  across  the  street  packing  large  Georgia 
Rattlesnake  melons  in  crockery  crates,  lining  the  crates 
with  straw.  I  was  told  that  he  was  making  money  ship- 
ping in  that  way  to  the  northern  cities.    In  1876 — ten 


110         Southern    Gardener^s    Practical    Manual 

years  later — while  collecting  agricultural  statistics  for 
the  Georgia  State  Department  of  Agriculture,  Augusta 
reported  boastfully  that  they  had  shipped  that  season 
sixty  thousand  melons.  Now  there  are  more  car-loads 
shipped  from  the  South  in  a  season  than  melons  in  1876. 

MUSHROOM 

This  is  but  little  grown  in  private  gardens  in  this 
country,  partly  because  of  the  absence  of  suitable  condi- 
tions required  for  success,  but  mainly  owing  to  the 
liability  of  mistaking  poisonous  kinds  for  the  edible.  A 
careful  study  of  the  specific  characteristics  of  the  edible 
kinds  may  readily  overcome  the  latter  difficulty,  but  the 
fact  is  that  very  few  do  this,  and  hence  this  vegetable  is 
not  grown.  It  is  so  highly  appreciated  by  some  that  they 
seek  it  during  warm,  moist  spells  in  summer  in  the  fields 
and  old  pastures. 

MUSTARD 

Two  varieties  of  this  pungent  plant  are  commonly 
grown  in  the  vegetable  garden,  viz.:  the  White  and  the 
Black.  The  White  is  preferred  for  salad  and  greens,  the 
small  bud  leaves  for  cold  salad  and  the  larger  leaves  for 
boiling.  They  are  both  hardy  annual  plants  of  the 
brassica  family,  highly  prized  by  some,  but  largely 
superseded  by  kale  and  spinach.  The  mustard  flour  of 
commerce  is  made  principally  of  the  seed  of  Black  mus- 
tard, though  the  seed  of  the  White  variety  is  sometimes 
used  for  that  purpose.  The  seed  of  the  White  variety  is 
used  whole  as  a  seasoning  for  pickles.    The  most  common 


Mustard.     Nasturtium.     Okra  111 

use  now  made  of  mustard  is  as  a  trap  for  the  harle«[uin 
cabbage-bug,  which  seeks  the  mustard  plant  on  account 
of  its  pungent  taste.  The  mustard  is  sown  near  the 
cabbage  to  attract  the  bugs,  which  collect  in  great  num- 
bers on  its  leaves.  Plants  and  bugs  are  then  killed  by 
spraying  with  kerosene  emulsion  early  in  the  morning 
before  the  bugs  become  active.  A  coarse  variety  known 
as  Chinese  mustard  is  sometimes  grown  on  account  of 
large,  broad  leaves.  I  have  seen  this  in  full  flower  in 
January  in  middle  Alabama. 

NASTURTIUM 

Nasturtium,  now  commonly  an  occupant  of  the  flower 
yard,  is  a  very  ornamental  plant  both  in  leaf  and  flower. 
It  is  seldom  grown  now  in  the  vegetable-garden,  as  for- 
merly, but  the  flower -stalks  are  used  as  a  pungent, 
pleasant  salad  with  cold  meats,  and  the  stalk  and  flower 
together  make  a  beautiful  garnish,  tastily  arranged  about 
cold  salads  as  well  as  cold  meats.  The  green  seed -pods 
are  used  for  flavoring  pickles. 

OKRA 

This  plant  belongs  to  the  same  natural  family  as 
cotton,  and,  like  it,  came  to  us  from  the  tropics.  It  is 
as  easily  grown  as  cotton,  and  requires  similar  cultiva- 
tion. It  should  have  a  place  in  every  southern  garden. 
There  are  numerous  varieties,  some  of  which  are  so 
unproductive  and  bear  pods  so  covered  with  spines  that 
gloves  are  required  to  handle  them.  If  the  best  variety, 
the  Wliite  Velvet,  is   grown,  the   plants   should  grow  in 


112         Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

rows  four  feet  apart  and  the  plants  should  be  three  feet 
apart  in  the  row.  Planted  in  this  way,  the  plants  branch 
near  the  ground  and  commence  to  bloom  within  eight  or 
ten  inches  of  the  ground.  The  mistake  of  gathering  the 
pods  too  small  is  very  common.  The  mucilaginous  prop- 
erties are  not  well  developed  until  the  seeds  are  formed. 
The  pods  should  be  gathered  every  day  as  they  reach  the 
proper  size,  to  encourage  production.  Select,  as  early  as 
the  plants  develop,  two  or  three  of  the  most  promising 
plants  to  produce  seed.  The  most  prolific,  branching 
plants  should  be  selected  for  this  purpose  and  no  pods 
allowed  to  ripen  on  the  other  plants.  Do  not  use  a  knife 
in  gathering,  but  break  the  stem  of  the  pods  with  the 
hand.  This  is  easily  done  if  the  White  Velvet  variety  is 
grown,  since  it  has  no  spines  on  the  pods.  If  a  knife  is 
used,  there  is  danger  of  cutting  off  the  stalk  and  of  stop- 
ping its  fruiting.  While  gathering  the  edible  pods,  slip 
the  dead  flowers  from  the  small  pods.  If  these  are  left, 
they  contract  around  the  young  pod  and  either  destroy  or 
dwarf  it.  If  sufficient  room  is  given  the  individual  plants, 
the  limbs  will  produce  as  much  as  the  center  stalk.  The 
central  stalk  should  produce  a  pod  for  every  two  inches 
of  the  stalk,  and  the  limbs  every  three  inches.  Seed 
should  be  saved  only  from  stalks  that  produce  in  this 
way.  Well-bred  and  well-fed  and  cultivated  okra  will 
furnish  a  dish  for  the  family  table  every  day  from  the 
first  of  June  until  frost.  There  is  no  other  plant  which 
will  do  this,  unless  it  be  the  tomato. 

I  have  tried  all  varieties  worthy  of  cultivation, 
and  recommend  the  White  Velvet  as  the  only  variety  I 
would  cultivate   if   I  had  to  gather  the   pods.    I  have 


The    Uses    of   Okra.     How    Onions    Grow        113 

gathered  a  bushel  per  day  of  this  without  making  my 
hands  sore. 

Okra  makes  an  excellent  dish  boiled,  and  seasoned 
with  butter,  pepper  and  salt.  That  not  eaten  can  be 
rolled  in  meal  and  fried  like  fish  for  the  next  day. 
Gumbo  soups  of  the  southern  tables  require  okra  as  one 
of  the  ingredients.  Eaten  with  stewed  tomatoes  it  makes 
a  good  dinner.  Any  surplus  from  a  day's  gathering  may 
be  preserved,  as  are  cucumbers,  in  salt,  or  the  green 
pods  may  be  sliced  and  dried  in  the  sun  and  then  heated 
in  the  stove  to  destroy  any  eggs  that  may  have  been 
deposited,  and  put  away  in  paper  bags  for  winter  soups. 
The  pods  preserved  in  salt  may,  after  soaking  out  the 
salt,  be  fried  as  are  fish  after  rolling  in  meal,  or  may  be 
boiled,  mashed  and  cooked  in  batter.  It  is,  like  the 
darkey's  rabbit,  good  any  way  except  raw. 

THE   ONION 

This  plant  is  grown  from  seed,  from  sets  or  small 
bulbs,  from  bulblets  (buttons),  as  in  the  case  of  the  top 
or  tree-onion;  and  from  bulblets  or  small  separable  parts 
of  a  compound  bulb,  as  in  the  case  of  multipliers  and 
potato  onions.  The  seeds  are  produced  at  the  top  of  the 
flower -stalk  the  second  year.  The  ripe  bulbs  are  kept 
over  and  planted  the  next  spring,  when  the  substance 
stored  up  in  the  thickened  leaves  constituting  the  mature 
bulb  is  consumed  in  producing  the  flower-stalk  and  the 
seed.  Sets  are  small  bulbs  dwarfed  by  planting  the  seed 
very  thickly  in  poor  soil.  To  produce  large  onions  these 
sets  are  harvested  when  the  tops  indicate  ripeness  and 


114         Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Manual 

stored  with  the  tops  left  on  until  desired  for  planting. 
The  smaller  the  sets  the  better,  since  the  large  sets  are 
liable  to  produce  flower -stalks. 

The  Top  or  Tree  Onion  produces  both  the  large  bulbs 
and  sets,  or  bulblets,  at  the  top  of  the  flower-stalk  instead 


^^^ 

, 

i 

JNI 

BM/ 

( 

yi 

M' 

^ 

^^IP^B 

^f^F' 

M 

n 

Bh 

m 

J,  M.  J  /wrtnci-n  o-  C^-', 

Fig.  12.     Red  Globe  Onions. 

of  seed.    The  top    sets  ("buttons")   are  also  used   for 
reproducing  the  large  onions. 

The  Multipliers  produce  neither  seed  nor  buttons, 
but  produce  a  compound  bulb,  the  separate  bulblets  of 
which  are  planted  for  the  next  crop.  This  is  the  case 
also  with  the  variety  known  as  the  Potato  onion.  The 
true  shallot  which  belongs  to  the  same  genus,  produces 
neither  seed  nor  buttons  but  multiplies  in  bulbs  some- 
times an   hundred   fold.     I   have  counted   105    in  one 


Fertilizing   Land  for    Onions  115 

cluster.  These  are  propagated  by  divisiou  of  the  cluster, 
each  single  bulbel  multiplying  again.  The  large  Shallot, 
sometimes  called  scallions,  produces  both  bulblets  and 
bulbels,  and  may  be  propagated  from  either.  The  bulb- 
lets,  or  "buttons,"  are  produced  as  in  the  case  of  the 
top  onion,  while  the  single  button  or  bulbel  multiplies 
from  separate  buds  enveloped  in  the  single  case. 

The  soil  best  adapted  to  onions  is  a  sandy  loam  free 
from  pebbles  or  undecomposed  vegetable  matter.  The 
soil  should  be  deeply  prepared  and  the  manure  or  ferti- 
lizer thoroughly  incorporated  with  the  first  six  inches  of 
soil.  Fresh  unfermented  manure  is  not  desirable,  but 
thoroughly  decomposed  animal  manure  —  that  from  the 
fowl -house  and  piggery — well  rotted  and  mixed  in  the 
soil  with  strong  wood  ashes,  makes  a  typical  application 
for  this  crop.  There  is  little  danger  of  fertilizing  land 
intended  for  growing  onions  too  heavily  if  the  right 
kind  of  fertilizer  is  used.  An  exception  to  this  should  be 
be  made  if  sets  are  to  be  grown.  Forty  tons  of  the  mix- 
ture just  mentioned  will  be  sufficient  for  an  acre,  and  it 
will  produce  more  and  better  onions  applied  to  one  acre 
than  if  divided  between  two  acres,  while  only  half  the 
seed  and  half  the  labor  will  be  required.  If  the  home 
manures  are  not  obtainable,  a  ton  of  complete  commercial 
fertilizer  analyzing  6  per  cent  of  potash,  5  per  cent  of 
ammonia  and  6  per  cent  of  phosphoric  acid,  will  answer. 
This  should  be  sown  broadcast  and  worked  into  the  soil 
by  repeated  use  of  the  harrow  or  disk  cultivator.  For 
early  crop,  either  seed  or  sets  may  be  planted  the  last  of 
September.  Those  from  the  sets  which  are  intended  to 
be  used  green  may  be  earthed  up  four  inches  on  the 


116         Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

stem  to  increase  the  length  of  the  edible  part.  I  com- 
mence using  them  in  this  latitude  in  January,  after  a 
favorable  fall,  when  the  largest  bulbs  are  the  size  of  a 
guinea  e^g.  The  sets  should  be  planted  in  rows  fifteen 
inches  apart,  and  four  inches  in  the  drill.  The  sets  are 
pressed  firmly  into  a  shallow  trench  and  enough  fine  soil 
to  cover  their  tips  drawn  over  them.  I  grow  my  own 
sets  for  fall  planting.  These  supply  the  early  crop. 
Seed  sown  in  the  fall  follow  closely,  and  seed  sown  in 
March  follow  in  July.  Onions  grown  from  seed  are 
more  delicate  in  flavor  and  keep  better  than  those  from 
sets.  The  keeping  qualities,  however,  depend  largely 
upon  the  method  of  cultivation.  Those  grown  with  the 
bulb  entirely  above  ground  keep  better  than  those  that 
ripen  with  the  bulb  covered  with  soil.  The  same  rules 
apply  to  spring -sown  seed  and  to  sets  planted  in  spring 
as  prescribed  for  fall  planting.  In  each  case  the  soil 
must  be  thoroughly  pulverized  and  intensely  fertilized. 
The  seed  should  be  sown  very  thinly,  not  more  than 
two  seeds  to  the  inch,  and  covered  from  half  to  one  inch 
with  very  finely  pulverized  soil.  If  intended  to  produce 
onions,  the  plants  should  be  thinned  to  four  inches  in 
the  drill.  Where  they  grow  close  together,  press  the  soil 
with  the  fingers  around  the  roots  of  the  plant  left  to 
grow,  so  as  to  prevent  injury  when  thinning  out  the 
surplus  plants.  If  there  are  vacancies  in  the  row,  the 
surplus  plants  may  be  used  to  fill  them.  Growing 
onions  from  the  seed  means  bent  knees,  a  tired  back 
and  tedious  finger  work.  If  baking  rains  are  followed 
by  drying  winds  after  sowing  the  seed,  cultivation 
should  commence  before  the  plants  appear.    The  onion 


Harvesting    the    Crop    of   Onions  117 

is  an  inside  grower,  and  vegetates  with  a  single  very 
slender  seed-leaf.  If  this  encounters  a  surface  crust,  it 
will  be  doubled  back  and  emerge  with  weakened  vitality 
if  at  all.  No  crust  should,  therefore,  be  allowed  to  form 
over  the  seed.  Every  inch  of  the  surface  between  the 
rows  and  amongst  the  plants  must  be  stirred  frequently 
to  prevent  the  growth  of  grass  or  weed  seed.  This 
frequent  shallow  cultivation  will  be  all  that  is 
necessary  until  the  bulbs  begin  to  form,  when  the 
soil  must  be  drawn  from  around  them  so  as  to 
expose  the  entire  bulb  above  ground.  The  roots  all 
diverge  from  the  center  of  the  bottom  of  the  bulb,  so 
that  the  exposure  of  the  latter  does  not  interfere  with 
the  former.  Why  expose  the  bulb!  The  bulb  is  com- 
posed of  the  thickened  base  of  the  leaves.  The  outside 
leaves  of  the  exposed  bulb  ripen  and  dry  before  the  crop 
is  gathered,  and  hence  the  onions  are  in  better  condition 
for  housing  than  those  on  which  these  leaves  are  still 
succulent.  If  large  sets  are  planted,  having  stored  up 
the  food  for  supplying  the  seed-stalk,  they  will  put 
forth  flower -stalks  as  soon  as  rapid  spring  growth  com- 
mences. These  should  be  promptly  removed,  or  they 
will  prevent  the  formation  of  the  bulb  at  the  base. 

Approaching  ripeness  will  be  indicated  by  the  shrink- 
ing and  weakening  of  the  neck  of  the  stalk  just  above 
the  bulb.  The  onions  should  now  be  pulled  and  laid  in 
rows  on  the  ground  if  the  weather  is  suitably  dry,  but 
they  must  not  rest  upon  each  other.  If  dry  weather 
prevails,  allow  them  to  remain  five  or  six  days,  turning 
them  daily  to  facilitate  drying.  If  the  weather  is  favor- 
able, they  will  now  be  ready  to  be  carted  to  the  storage 


118         Southern  ■  Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

room,  where,  if  to  be  kept  through  the  winter,  the  dry 
tops  are  removed  and  the  bulbs  spread  upon  shelves 
with  slatted  bottoms  and  sides  not  more  than  six  inches 
deep.  If  threatening  weather  prevents  thorough  curing 
in  the  garden  or  field,  they  should  be  spread  thinly  on 
the  floor  of  a  well- ventilated  room  till  the  curing  is  com- 
pleted before  storing.  If  the  shelves  are  not  available 
they  may  be  stored  in  slatted,  shallow  boxes  similar  to 
those  in  which  fruit  and  vegetables  are  shipped.  Varie- 
ties differ  in  their  keeping  qualities,  and  those  of  the 
same  variety  grown  from  seed  keep  better  than  those 
from  sets.  The  onion,  if  properly  stored,  will  endure  a 
temperature  approaching  zero,  but  must  not  be  handled 
while  frozen.  The  so-called  new  onion  culture,  which 
directs  planting  the  seed  under  glass  and  transplanting, 
is  not  necessary  in  the  South,  since,  planted  in  the  fall, 
they  endure  our  winters  without  injury.  The  little 
white  multipliers  keep  better  and  longer  than  any  other 
variety.  They  should  be  grown  in  every  garden,  for 
this  and  other  reasons  to  be  mentioned  later. 

By  common  and  concurrent  experience  the  following 
are  considered  the  most  desirable  varieties  for  the  upper 
South  reaching  down  to  Florida: 

Large  Red  Wethersfield. — This  has  been  a  favorite 
variety  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century.  The  form 
is  somewhat  flattened  at  the  base,  the  color  of  the  skin 
red,  with  white  meat  tinged  with  red.  It  is  very  pro- 
ductive and  a  good  keeper. 

Yellow  Olohe  Danvers. — This  splendid  variety  has 
superseded  the  Round  Danvers,  on  account  of  its  more 
attractive  form. 


standard    Varieties   of  Onions  119 

Southport  Bed  Globe,  Southport  JMiite  Globe  and 
Southport  Yellow  Globe  are  all  popular  and  desirable 
varieties,  differing  very  little  in  size,  form,  quality  or 
productiveness,  but  the  colored  varieties  keep  better 
than  the  white. 

Extra- Earhj  Pearl  and  SilversMn  are  two  popular 
varieties  for  the  home  garden  on  account  of  earliness, 
pure  white  color  and  delicacy  of  flavor.  Both  are  small 
and  poor  keepers. 

Prizetaker. — I  have  derived  more  satisfaction  from 
this  splendid  variety  than  from  any  other.  It  is  large, 
of  beautiful  form  and  fine  flavor.  The  outside  skin  is 
straw-color;  flesh  white,  mild  and  tender.  Good  from 
either  seed  or  sets. 

White  and  Red  Bermuda. — These  varieties  have  been, 
for  many  years,  shipped  in  large  quantities  from  Ber- 
muda Islands,  holding  a  monopoly  of  the  early  market, 
but  thej^  are  now  being  grown  on  a  considerable  scale 
in  Florida. 

Top  Onion. — This  is  an  old  and  popular  variety,  which 
produces  large  bulbs  and  at  the  same  time  provides  for 
its  propagation  by  growing  buttons,  instead  of  seed,  at 
the  top  of  the  seed -stalk.  It  is  very  popular  in  the 
alpine  region  of  South  Carolina,  North  Carolina  and 
Georgia  as  a  first  crop,  followed  by  cabbages  trans- 
planted in  June  between  the  onion  rows  just  before  the 
onions  mature. 

White  Multipliers. — This  variety  produces  no  seed- 
stalk,  but  from  a  single  bulb  multiplies  to  the  extent  of 
producing  a  cluster  of  eight  or  ten  new  bulbels,  each  of 
which  is  capable  of  similar  multiplication  when  planted. 


120         Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Manual 

It  is  an  excellent  keeper,  small,  but  very  mild.  It 
keeps  twelve  months  and  is  used  all  through  the  winter 
and  spring  for  seasoning  soups,  salads,  stews,  etc.,  and 
for  pickles. 

The  Top  Shallot  should  have  a  place  in  every  south- 
ern garden.  This,  like  the  Top  Onion,  produces  buttons 
at  the  top  of  the  flower-stalk,  but,  unlike  it,  multiplies 
at  the  base,  growing  often  a  dozen  stalks  from  one. 
This  plant  is  perennial  and  ready  to  supply  flavoring 
to  the  housewife  every  day  in  the  year.  The  bunches 
are  earthed  up  in  early  spring  eight  inches  high,  causing 
the  stems  to  blanch.  A  single  row  100  feet  long  will 
supply  a  family  for  many  years  without  replanting  if, 
in  gathering  the  plants  for  use,  one  is  left.  This,  by 
the  next  fall,  will  have  developed  again  into  a  bunch 
ready  for  blanching  for  spring  use.  The  blanched  stems 
are  used  cooked  or  raw,  as  are  "bunched"  onions.  A 
furrow  should  be  opened  on  each  side  of  the  row  in 
winter,  fertilizers  applied  and  the  soil  returned.  I  have 
a  row  now  seven  years  old  and  still  productive. 

PARSLEY 

Only  a  small  rich  corner  is  necessary  to  produce  an 
abundant  supply  for  an  ordinary  family.  Since  the  seed 
germinates  slowly,  the  soil  should  be  very  finely  pulver- 
ized. The  young  plants  are  tender  and  easily  choked 
by  weeds.  The  plants  may  be  started  in  a  coldframe  in 
March  by  sowing  the  seed  between  the  rows  of  other 
vegetables,  such  as  cabbage  or  lettuce,  which  will  be 
removed   by  the  time  the   parsley   seed  vegetates.     It 


Parsley    and    Parsnips  121 

requires  three  or  four  weeks,  and,  as  soon  as  large 
enough,  should  be  transplanted  to  the  open  ground.  A 
dozen  plants  will  be  sufficient.  If  tender,  fresh  leaves 
are  desired  for  winter  use,  cut  the  tops  close  to  the 
crown  in  October  and  transplant  to  a  coldframe  or  a 
box  in  the  greenhouse.  The  plant  is  hardy  in  the  South, 
being  uninjured  by  the  ordinary  cold  of  our  winters. 
Very  cold  spells,  however,  may  destroy  it,  as  was  the 
case  in  the  severe  freeze  of  February,  1895,  which  came 
after  ten  days  of  warm  weather.  The  plants  were  then 
in  a  growing  condition,  which  made  them  more  susceptible 
to  cold.  If  a  continuous  supply  of  fresh  leaves  is  desired, 
only  the  well -developed  ones  should  be  cut.  It  is  in- 
jurious to  the  plant  to  remove  too  many  leaves  at  a  time. 
The  varieties  differ  but  little  except  in  the  beauty  of 
the  leaf.  DouMe  Curled  and  Moss  Curled  are  the  most 
desirable  varieties.  The  beautiful  green  leaves  are  used 
to  garnish  cold  meats  and  fish,  and  to  impart  a  pleasant 
flavor  to  soups  and  boiled  fish. 

PARSNIPS 

This  vegetable  should  have  a  place  in  every  family 
garden,  since  it  may  be  left  in  the  ground  where  it  is 
grown  and  dug  as  needed  during  the  entire  winter  and 
early  spring.  The  soil  should  be  prepared  and  the 
fertilizers  applied  in  deep  furrows,  as  directed  for  other 
root  crops.  The  seeds  are  sown  in  shallow  drills  two 
feet  apart  and  covered  with  half  an  inch  of  very  fine 
loam.  When  large  enough,  thin  the  plants  to  four  to 
six  inches  in  the  row.    As  for  all  other  crops,  frequent 


122         Southern    Oardener^s    Practical   Manual 

shallow  cultivation  is  necessary.  Two  rows,  fifty  feet 
long,  will  furnish  a  family  supply. 

The  varieties  are  few.  The  best  for  the  family  garden 
are  the  Hollow  Croivn,  or  Sugar  Stump -rooted,  and  the 
Student.  The  former  produces  larger  roots  of  fine  flavor, 
but  the  latter  is  more  delicate,  having  less  of  the  charac- 
teristic taste  and  odor  of  the  species. 

The  simplest  way  to  prepare  this  root  is  to  wash, 
scrape  and  boil  whole,  putting  it  into  boiling  water 
slightly  salted.  When  perfectly  done,  serve  whole.  Slice 
lengthwise,  take  out  the  woody  heart  and  season  with 
butter,  salt  and  pepper  while  hot.  Prepared  in  this  way 
it  is  peculiarly  rich  and  marrowy.  After  boiling,  pars- 
nips may  be  thoroughly  mashed  and  fried  in  batter. 
This  somewhat  disguises  the  peculiar  parsnip  taste  to 
which  some  object. 

To  save  seed,  either  leave  the  roots  where  they  have 
grown,  or  transplant  in  spring  to  some  convenient 
border  some  of  the  finest  roots.  When  ripe,  cut  the 
stalks  and  hang  in  a  house  to  dry  before  rubbing  out 
the  seed.  Fresh  seed  should  be  used.  There  are  no 
known  enemies  to  this  plant.  The  roots  not  needed  for 
the  table  may  be  fed  to  stock.  They  are  more  nutritious 
than  the  mangelwurzel  beet  or  the  turnip. 

PEAS 

Known  as  English  peas  and  garden  peas.  This  is  an 
annual  legume  adapted  to  every  part  of  the  United 
States.  In  different  localities  it  is  planted  at  different 
times  from   November  to  May,  and  for  a  late  crop  in 


Best    Kind    of  Soil  for   Peas  123 

July  or  August.  The  Marrowfat  varieties  are  very 
hardy  and  are  planted  in  November.  They  are,  however, 
inferior  in  quality  to  the  other  type.  The  types  usually 
planted  in  the  gardens  for  shelled  peas  for  table  use  are 
designated  as  round,  and  are  smooth  on  the  surface 
when  dry.  The  wrinkled  varieties  have  the  surface 
irregularly  wrinkled  when  mature.  The  round  varieties 
are  more  hardy  and  earlier  than  the  wrinkled,  but  in- 
ferior to  the  latter  in  table  qualities.  The  vines  of 
different  varieties  vary  from  one  foot  to  six  feet  in 
height.  The  dwarf  varieties  are  preferred  by  many 
gardeners,  because  they  do  not  require  to  be  stuck  or 
"brushed." 

As  with  nearly  all  garden  vegetables,  the  pea  prefers 
a  deep,  rich  sandy  loam,  although  it  grows  successfullj^ 
in  clay  loam  of  good  texture.  The  soil  should  be  fertile 
but  not  excessively  so,  as  this  increases  a  tendency  to 
vine  growth  at  the  expense  of  fruitage  and  involves 
more  expense  in  supporting  the  vines,  since  the  sticks, 
or  supports,  should  be  as  tall  as  the  vines.  The  fertilizer 
should  be  rich  in  potash  and  phosphoric  acid  and 
should  contain  a  smaller  percentage  of  nitrogen,  since 
this  plant  can  collect  nitrogen  from  the  air.  The  distance 
between  the  rows  should  vary  with  the  habit  of  growth 
of  the  variety,  the  dwarf  varieties  requiring  only  two 
feet,  while  such  tall  growers  as  the  Champion  of  England 
should  have  four.  The  seed  should  be  covered  four 
inches  deep  in  a  well -pulverized  soil,  and  average  one 
pea  to  the  inch  of  row.  The  round  varieties  may  be 
planted  earlier  than  the  wrinkled  kinds.  The  latter  will 
rot  in  the  ground  if  freezing  weather  occurs  after  they 


124         Southern    Gardener^s   Practical  Manual, 

are  planted,  especially  if  the  soil  is  wet  and  cold  at  the 
same  time.  In  the  middle  belt  of  the  southern  states, 
the  round  kinds  may  be  planted  by  the  middle  of 
January — earlier  below  and  later  above  this  belt.  The 
wrinkled  varieties  will  not  bear  as  thick  planting  as  the 
round;  one  seed  to  two  inches  is  thick  enough  for  them. 
If  the  variety  does  not  grow  more  than  two  feet  high,  it 
will  not  pay  to  stick  them.  I  formerly  planted  in  double 
rows — two  rows  ten  inches  apart — but  found  that  few 
pods  formed  on  the  inside  of  the  rows,  and  for  this 
reason  abandoned  this  practice.  As  soon  as  the  plants 
appear,  the  soil  should  be  stirred  with  a  garden  rake. 
When  they  reach  a  height  of  three  inches,  a  little  soil 
should  be  thrown  to  them  with  a  garden  push -plow. 
When  six  inches  high,  or  as  soon  as  the  tendrils  form, 
supports  should  be  supplied  the  tall -growing  varieties. 
The  river  cane,  if  obtainable,  makes  a  convenient  and 
lasting  support.  The  canes  should  be  cut  a  little  longer 
than  the  vines  will  grow  and  stuck  along  the  row  as 
follows:  Stick  half  the  canes  on  one  side  of  the  row  so 
as  to  lean  slightly,  all  in  one  direction.  Stick  the  other 
half  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  row  and  lean  them  in 
the  opposite  direction  from  the  first.  If  these  canes  are 
taken  up  as  soon  as  the  vines  ripen,  and  stored  under 
shelter,  they  may  be  used  for  four  or  five  years.  The 
vines  will  continue  in  bearing  longer,  if  the  pods  are 
gathered  as  fast  as  they  reach  the  proper  stage  of 
development  for  table  use  than  if  allowed  to  tax  the 
plant  by  ripening.  Enough  vines  to  produce  seed  for 
the  next  year's  planting  should  be  reserved  for  that 
purpose.    Gather   as   soon    as   ripe,  dry   and   store    in 


Best    Varieties   of  Early   Peas  125 

bottles  or  jars  with  a  wad  of  cotton  saturated  with 
spirits  of  turpentine.  The  eggs  of  the  weevil  are  de- 
posited while  the  peas  are  yet  green.  The  young  larva 
develops  inside  of  the  pea,  and  the  confined  fumes  of 
the  turpentine  stifles  them.  Naphtha  balls  will  answer 
the  same  purpose.  It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that 
northern -grown  seeds  of  this  plant  are  superior  to  those 
saved  here.  The  only  material  difference  will  be  mani- 
fested in  a  gradual  increase  in  the  growth  of  vine. 
Southern  gardeners  spend  many  millions  of  dollars,  in 
the  aggregate,  annually  for  the  purchase  of  seed  that 
should  be  saved  at  home. 

There  are  innumerable  varieties  of  peas,  but  many 
are  duplicates.  One  of  the  best  early  smooth  varieties  is 
Wood^s  Extra- Early,  a  desirable  variety  improved  by 
selection  from  Wood^ s  Lightning  Excelsior ,  which  latter  is 
a  close  follower  of  its  offspring  in  earliness,  productive- 
ness and  quality.  Maule\s  First  of  All  is  a  superior  early 
smooth  variety.  Any  one  of  these  three  will  answer 
for  the  first-early  in  the  family  garden. 

The  wrinkled  varieties,  being  superior  in  flavor  and 
richness,  should  be  used  to  keep  up  the  succession 
following  immediately  after  the  smooth  sorts.  Wrinkled 
varieties  have  been  multiplied  until  it  is  difficult  to  select 
from  them. 

American  Wonder  is  a  dwarf  variety  which, 
while  prolific  and  desirable,  does  not  grow  a  foot 
high  and  hence  may  be  planted  closer  and  requires  no 
stakes. 

NotVs  Excelsior  is  an  early  dwarf  wrinkled  variety, 
very  prolific  and  so  hardy  that  it  may  be  planted  nearly 


126         Southern    Gardener^s   Practical    Mammal 

as  early  as  the  smooth  varieties.  It  does  not  require 
sticking.  It  is  considered  one  of  the  best  of  many  va- 
rieties tested  here. 

Prosperity  is  a  medium -sized  variety  which  does  not 
require  sticking.  It  is  one  of  the  favorites  in  this 
section. 

Dwarf  Champion  is  similar  to  the  well-known  Cham- 
pion of  England  except  in  growth  of  vine,  which  renders 
it  more  easily  grown  than  its  parent. 

Telephone  is  a  standard  wrinkled  variety  which  is  a 
general  favorite.  I  have  grown  it  for  a  number  of  years, 
and  will  continue  its  use  until  a  better  is  found.  It 
grows  three  to  four  feet  high  and  requires  supports. 
There  are  many  other  excellent  varieties  of  this  type 
offered  in  catalogues  of  seedsmen. 

It  is  claimed  that  a  new  variety  of  the  Marrowfat 
type,  Marhlehead  Early  Marroufat,  possesses  qualities 
far  superior  to  the  old  varieties  such  as  Large  White 
Marrowfat  and  the  Black  Eye.  These  have  the  advan- 
tage of  being  more  prolific  than  the  smooth  sorts,  and 
so  much  more  hardy  that  they  may  be  planted  in  No- 
vember and  come  iuto  use  just  after  the  extra -earlies. 
My  experience  sustains  this  claim.  Planted  in  November, 
1903,  they  stood  the  winter  perfectly  and  ripened  im- 
mediately after  Wood^s  Extra- Early.  I  have  them  now, 
planted  last  November,  that  have  withstood  the  un- 
usually severe  weather  of  this  winter. 

Sugar,  or  Edihle-pod  Peas. — This  is  a  strain  in  which 
the  pods  are  cooked  and  eaten  like  snap  beans.  They 
are  very  prolific  and  remain  long  in  bearing.  There  are 
three  varieties, — Dwarf  Stigar,  which   grows  only  two 


Fig.  13.     Telephone  Peas 


y,  M.  Thorburn  &  Co, 


128         Southern    Gardener's   Practical   Manual 

feet  high;  Melting  Sugar,  which  grows  about  five  feet, 
and  Mammoth  Luscious,  which  attains  a  height  of  five 
to  six  feet  and  requires  strong  support.  This  strain  of 
peas  is  liked  by  some,  but  is  not  generally  popular.  The 
peculiar,  rather  sickening  sweet  taste  is  not  relished 
by  many. 

PEPPER 

A  member  of  the  solanum  family,  a  native  of  the 
tropics  and  hence  requires  a  warm  season  in  which  to 
grow.  It  will  thrive  on  any  fertile  soil,  and  requires 
about  the  same  conditions  and  cultivation  as  the  egg- 
plant, already  described.  If  an  early  crop  is  desired, 
the  seed  may  be  forwarded  in  a  box  a  foot  deep,  in 
which  fermenting  manure  is  placed  to  generate  a  bottom 
heat,  or  they  may  be  planted  in  a  flat  four  inches  deep 
filled  with  rich  loam  and  kept  protected  from  cold. 
These  devices  will  answer,  in  the  absence  of  a  hotbed  or 
greenhouse.  If  the  seeds  are  sown  under  any  of  these 
conditions  in  February  and,  when  the  plants  are  large 
enough  to  be  handled,  transplanted  to  a  coldframe,  they 
will  be  ready  for  transplanting  to  the  open  ground  as 
early  as  the  soil  is  warm  enough  to  receive  them.  Only 
a  few  plants  will  be  needed  to  furnish  all  a  family  can 
use,  unless  it  is  desired  to  cultivate  several  different 
types.  Some  of  the  varieties  are  very  ornamental  when 
in  full  fruitage,  and  are  often  found  in  the  flower  yard 
or  the  greenhouse. 

A  new  variety  of  extra -large  size  is  Chinese  Giant, 
prized  for  salads  and  mangos.  The  rind  is  thick,  mild 
and  sweet. 


Varieties   of  Peppers  —  The   Potato  129 

Ruby  King  is  another  very  large,  productive  variety. 
It  lias,  for  some  years,  been  the  principal  market  variety, 
usually  sold  green.  It  is  a  prolific  bearer  of  very  showy 
pods. 

Golden  Queen. —  Those  who  prefer  a  yellow  pepper 
will  find  this  a  very  desirable  variety.  Similar  to  Ruby 
King  except  in  color  of  pods. 

Long  Red  Caijenne. — The  pod  of  this  variety  is  long, 
red  and  pointed;  very  hot.  This  is  the  kind  so  often 
seen  hanging  in  the  porch  of  the  farmhouse.  It  is  dried, 
ground  and  used  as  a  condiment. 

Tom  Thumh,  sometimes  called  Bird^s  Eye. — This  is  a 
dwarf  variety  usually  grown  as  an  ornamental  plant  in 
the  collection  of  house  plants  or  in  pots  in  the  green- 
house.   The  berries  are  the  size  of  a  red  currant. 

Tohasco. — This  makes  a  very  handsome  plant  when 
loaded  with  the  little  crimson  pods,  which  are  only  an 
inch  in  length  but  very  hot;  well  known  on  account 
of  its  use  in  tobasco  sauce. 

Celestial,  an  ornamental  variety,  is  very  productive 
and  showy,  and  is  covered  with  creamy  yellow  and  deep 
scarlet  pods  at  the  same  time. 

POTATO  ( Irish) 

To  distinguish  this  from  the  sweet  potato,  it  is  often 
spoken  of  as  the  "white"  potato.  It  belongs  to  the  same 
genus  as  the  eggplant  and  is  closely  related  to  the  to- 
mato and  several  narcotic  plants,  as  henbane,  tobacco 
and  belladonna.  It,  too,  contains  a  trace  of  poison, 
which  is  developed  when  the  surface  turns  green  from 


130 


Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 


exposure  to  the  direct  or  indirect  sunlight,  and  hence  is 
unwholesome  as  well  as  unpalatable  when  in  that  con- 
dition. The  potato  delights  in  a  comparatively  cool 
atmosphere  and  a  moist  soil  and  therefore  thrives  best 
during  the  cool  months  of  spring  and  fall.  By  mulch- 
ing heavily  with  leaves  or  straw  to  retain  the  moisture, 
a  good  crop  may  be  produced  even  during  a  dry  season. 


FiG.  14.    iSprayiug  Potatoes.    Bulletin  264,  New  York  Experiment  Station 

We  secure  best  results  by  planting  the  tubers  four  to 
six  inches  deep  and  harrowing  just  as  the  first  plants 
begin  to  appear.  In  the  lower  cotton  belt  they  should 
be  planted  in  January;  in  the  middle  belt  in  February, 
and  in  the  mountain  region,  last  of  March  or  early  in 
April.  Only  the  early  varieties  can  be  relied  upon  in 
the  warmer  portions  of  the  South,  and  these  are  often 
injured  by  a  drought  in  May. 


Fresh   Manure   not    Good  for    Potatoes 


131 


The  soil  best  adapted  to  this  crop  is  a  rich,  sandy 
loam  underlaid  by  a  subsoil  retentive  of  moisture.  The 
soil  should  be  deeply  stirred  and  thoroughly  pulverized, 
and  well -rotted  manure  applied  broadcast  and  incorpo- 
rated with  the  soil.  Fresh  unfermented  manure  is  not 
desirable  and  should  not  be  used,  since  it  encourages 
fungous  diseases  of  the  vine  and  scab  on  the  tubers. 


Sprayed  Potatoes  Fig.  15.  Potatoes  not  sprayed 

Photographed  September  6.     Gain  due  to  spraying,  833>^  bushels  per  acre. 
Bulletin  264,  New  York  Experiment  Station. 

Open  deep  furrows  three  feet  apart  with  large  shovel- 
plow  or  with  a  one-horse  turning  plow,  and  run  twice  in 
the  row.  Into  these  furrows,  strew  a  complete  commercial 
fertilizer  at  the  rate  of  800  pounds  per  acre,  and  mix  it 
with  the  soil  and  subsoil  by  two  furrows  of  a  long,  narrow 
bull -tongue  plow.  Cut  medium -sized  tubers  to  one  or 
two  eyes  or  buds,  making  the  pieces  as  large  as  practi- 


132         Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Manual 

cable.  Drop  these  twelve  to  fifteen  inches  apart  in  the 
drill,  and  cover  with  two  furrows  of  a  plow,  which  will 
place  not  less  than  four  inches  of  soil  above  the  tubers. 

If,  after  the  plants  appear  above  ground,  a  frost  is 
threatened,  cover  them  with  a  thin  coating  of  soil  (if 
the  soil  is  not  too  wet  to  be  stirred)  by  running  a  turn- 
plow  eight  or  ten  inches  from  the  plants  on  each  side  of 
the  row.  This  covering  need  not  be  removed  after 
danger  is  past,  as  the  plants  will  grow  through  it. 
Cultivate  level  and  shallow  until  the  plants  are  eight  or 
ten  inches  high,  when  soil  should  be  worked  to  the 
plants.  After  this  is  done  and  the  soil  has  been  moist- 
ened by  rain,  apply  a  mulch  between  the  rows  to  retain 
moisture.  This  done,  no  further  cultivation  will  be 
necessary.  If  the  mulch  is  not  applied,  stir  the  surface 
between  the  rows  after  each  rain  to  form  a  soil  mulch  to 
retain  moisture.  Mulch  applied  before  danger  of  cold 
nights  is  over,  increases  the  risk  of  injury  by  frost.  The 
tubers  may  be  bedded  like  sweet  potatoes  in  early  spring, 
and  the  sets  drawn  and  transplanted.  Mix  soil  and  cow 
manure  with  water  to  the  consistency  of  paste.  Dip  the 
roots  of  the  plants  into  this  before  transplanting,  and,  if 
the  soil  is  dry,  use  a  pint  of  water  to  each  plant.  Open 
a  hole  in  the  prepared  soil;  pour  in  the  water  and, 
while  the  water  is  still  there,  set  in  the  plant  and  draw- 
fine  earth  to  it  until  the  moisture  is  covered.  Planted  in 
this  way,  they  produce  an  early  crop  of  large  tubers — 
finer  and  smoother  than  from  the  usual  method,  but  not 
so  many  to  the  hill.  They  produce  no  small  potatoes 
from  the  sets.  I  have  grown  them  successfully  in  this 
way  for  the  fall  crop  also.    Fifty  years  ago  it  was  the 


Second,  or   Fall    Crop    of  Potatoes  183 

common  practice  to  carefully  place  the  cut  part  of  the 
tuber  down.  In  my  boyhood  I  was  required  to  plant 
them  in  this  way.  Usually  when  the  blossoms  appear, 
there  are  edible  tubers  at  the  roots.  The  tubers  grow 
upon  underground  stems,  put  forth  for  that  purpose, 
and  not  on  the  true  roots.  When  the  vines  turn  yellow, 
dig  the  tubers  with  as  little  exposure  to  the  sun  as 
possible.  Spread  in  a  cool  room  or  on  the  ground  under 
a  house.  If  exposed  too  much  to  light,  the  tubers  will 
turn  green  and  become  unfit  for  the  table.  Air -slaked 
lime  sprinkled  over  them  will  cause  them  to  keep  better. 
Usually  the  potatoes  are  dug  in  June,  in  time  for  a  crop 
of  corn  to  be  grown  after  them.  If  mulch  is  used  and 
worked  into  the  soil  in  digging  the  potatoes,  the  land 
will  be  in  a  good  condition  for  celery  to  be  transplanted 
in  July,  and,  when  the  celery  is  taken  off,  an  excellent 
preparation  has  been  made  for  strawberries,  which  re- 
quire a  soil  well  supplied  with  humus. 

THE    SECOND,    OR    FALL    CROP 

The  second,  or  fall  crop  is  of  greater  importance  in 
the  family  than  the  spring  crop,  because  they  keep 
better  for  winter  consumption  than  those  harvested  in 
June  and  are  much  superior  in  table  quality  to  the 
latter.  Potatoes  of  the  previous  year's  crop,  preserved 
until  June  in  cold  storage,  are  sometimes  used  for 
planting  the  fall  crop,  but  they  have  not  proved  so 
satisfactory  as  seed  from  the  first  or  spring  crop  of  the 
current  year.  Practically  the  only  difficulty  in  the  way  of 
growing  the  fall  crop  is  in  securing  a  stand.    This  may 


134         Southern    Gardener^ s    P^'actical   Manual 

be  done  in  several  ways,  as  follows:  (a)  When  the  first 
crop  is  dug,  usually  in  June,  plant  the  small  tubers, 
without  cutting,  at  once  on  the  same  land,  covering 
them  six  inches  deep.  Why  use  the  same  plot  from 
which  the  spring  crop  has  been  harvested?  Because 
there  will  be  left  in  the  soil  many  tubers  which  will 
"volunteer"  in  the  early  fall.  These  can  be  transplanted 
to  supplement  a  defective  stand.  Plant  in  rows  three 
feet  wide,  and  plant  a  row  of  bunch  snap  beans  in  the 
middle,  between  the  rows  of  potatoes.  The  cultivation 
of  the  beans  will  benefit  the  potatoes  by  keeping  down 
grass  and  weeds,  by  keeping  a  continual  soil  mulch  on 
the  surface,  and  the  shade  of  the  bean  vines  will  keep 
the  soil  cool.  My  attention  was  drawn  to  this  method  by 
observing  the  fact  that  the  tubers  left  in  the  ground 
when  the  crop  was  dug  invariablj-  came  in  advance  of 
those  removed  and  planted  in  August,  (h)  When  the 
crop  is  harvested  in  June,  prepare  the  land  and  plant  as 
just  described,  except  that  the  rows  need  not  be  more 
than  two  feet  apart,  and  mulch  heavily  with  straw  or 
leaves.  The  mulch  will  retain  moisture  and  insure  a 
stand.  Indeed,  I  have  known  potatoes  grown  on  the 
same  land  for  twenty -five  years  by  mulching  heavily,  a 
foot  deep,  the  spring  crop.  Take  off  the  mulch  in  July, 
harvest  the  crop,  fertilize  the  land  and  replace  the  mulch 
for  the  fall  crop.  Let  the  mulch  remain  during  winter, 
use  the  potatoes  as  needed  until  early  spring;  then,  if 
the  mulch  has  been  sufficiently  rotted,  plow  it  into  the 
soil  with  the  small  potatoes  not  used  and  apply  fresh 
mulch.  This  was  continued  by  Hon.  Samuel  Barnett,  of 
Wilkes  county,   Georgia,  for  twenty -five  years  without 


Beneficial   Effects   of  Mulching 


135 


change  of  seed  and  without  deterioration  of  the  crop.  I 
practiced  this  for  five  years  successfully,  (c)  A  third 
method  practiced  successfully  by  Colonel  Ryals,  the 
largest  truck-farmer  in  the  vicinity  of  Savannah, 
Georgia,  is:  Prepare  the  land  thoroughly  the  last  of 
August,  plant  in  deep  furrows,  cover  four  to  six  inches, 
and  pass  a  heavy  roller  over  the  row.  Being  a  close 
observer.  Colonel  Ryals  noticed  that  near  the  barrels 
containing  the  seed  potatoes,  where  the  soil  of  the  rows 
was  tramped  and  compacted  by  the  feet  of  the  planters, 
the  potatoes  came  better  than  where  the  soil  was  left 
loose  over  them.  He  therefore  determined  to  pack  the 
soil  over  the  seed  on  the  whole  crop,  {d)  The  most 
certain  method  I  have  used  is  as  follows:  Trench  out  an 
area,  large  enough  to  bed  enough  tubers  to  plant  the 
crop,  four  inches  deep,  spread  over  the  bottom  of  this 
an  inch  of  rich  loam, 
and  place  the  whole 
tubers  an  inch  apart 
on  this  soil.  Cover 
them  with  three  inches 
of  mellow  loam  and, 
overthat, spread  chop- 
ped straw  or  shredded 
corn-stalks  two  inches 
deep.  This  is  to  pre- 
vent the  soil  from 
baking  when  watered. 
This  bed  should  be 
located  in  a  cool  spot, 
north  of  a  large  tree, 


Fig.  16.    Second-crop  Potatoes 

Seed   planted    same   day   first   crop  was 

harvested 


136         Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Manual 

a  board  fence  or  a  house.  Keep  it  moist,  but  not  wet. 
Have  the  laud  prepared  and  laid  off  read}^  for  the  reception 
of  the  plants.  When  the  plants  have  three  or  four  leaves, 
take  them  trom  the  bed  with  the  mother  potato  attached. 
If  more  than  one  shoot  has  come  from  a  single  tuber, 
cut  between  them  and  transplant  separately.  Continue 
to  transplant  as  the  plants  get  large  enough.  Do  not 
detach  the  mother  tuber,  but  plant  it  with  the  shoot  to 
supply  nourishment  until  the  young  plant  has  developed 
its  root  system.  If  any  shoots  become  disconnected  from 
the  mother  tuber,  transplant  with  water,  as  directed  for 
cabbage,  when  the  soil  is  dry.  While  this  method  is 
somewhat  more  troublesome  than  the  others,  it  is 
compensated  for  in  being  absolutely  certain.  The  fall 
crop  will  remain  in  the  ground  all  winter,  to  be  dug  as 
needed  without  becoming  watery  or  in  any  way  deterio- 
rating in  quality,  or  they  may  be  harvested  and  stored. 
They  will  keep  without  difficulty,  in  the  ground  or  out, 
until  time  for  them  to  sprout  in  spring.  If  left  in  the 
row,  two  furrows  made  with  a  good  turn -plow  should  be 
thrown  upon  them.  This  serves  the  double  purpose  of 
affording  drainage  and  protecting  them  from  freezing. 
The  potato  produces  less  vine  in  fall  than  in  spring  and 
matures  in  a  shorter  time.  The  fall -grown  are  superior 
in  quality  to  the  spring -grown. 

There  are  over  six  hundred  described  varieties  of 
Irish  potatoes,  but  onlj^  a  small  number  of  these  are 
planted  in  the  South  —  mainly  the  early  varieties.  New 
varieties  are  grown  from  seed.  The  tubers  of  the  seed- 
lings are  small  at  first,  but  increase  in  size  under  high 
cultivation.    I  received  from  D.  Landreth   &  So.ns,   in 


Best    Potatoes  for   the    South  137 

1886,  au  old-fashioned  wooden  match-box  full  of  tubers 
of  a  new  wild  variety  discovered  in  Arizona  by  Dr. 
Lemon,  accompanied  by  the  request  that  I  plant  and 
develop  them.  These  tubers  ranged  from  the  size  of  an 
English  pea  to  that  of  a  hazelnut.  Mr.  Landreth  stated 
in  his  letter  that  he  had  grown  these  tubers  from  "some 
very  much  smaller."  I  planted  and  nursed  them  for 
three  years,  when  the  largest  tubers  were  the  size  of  a 
guiuea-egg,  but,  not  promising  to  develop  into  useful- 
ness, their  cultivation  was  abandoned.  Very  few  varieties 
produce  seed.  I  have  known  seed  produced  only  a  few 
times  in  thirty -eight  years'  experience  in  growing  pota- 
toes in  the  South.  In  1887,  a  variety,  then  known  as 
Empire  State,  ripened  seeds  which  were  planted  under 
a  variety  of  conditions,  but  none  germinated.  The  seeds 
are  borne  at  the  tops  of  the  vines,  in  clusters  of  small 
balls  three -fourths  to  one  inch  in  diameter.  They  re- 
semble in  appearance  a  green  plum  tomato. 

Bliss^  Red  Triumph,  a  round  tuber  of  good  size,  has 
a  pinkish  red  skin  but  pure  white  flesh.  It  is  earlier 
than  the  Earl.y  Rose,  which  it  has  almost  entirelj^  super- 
seded. This  is  an  excellent  variety  for  both  spring  and 
fall  crops  and  a  good  keeper.  Its  table  qualities  are 
first-class,  readily  crumbling  to  a  mealy  consistency 
when  properly  cooked. 

Bliss^  White  Triumph  differs  little  from  the  former 
except  in  color.  It,  however,  has  not  been  so  thoroughly 
tested  in  the  South  as  the  red. 

Crown  Jewel  has  proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  pro- 
ductive of  the  early  varieties  and  is  deservedly  growing 
in  popularity. 


138         Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Manual 

Irish  Gobbler,  though  a  new  variety,  is  rapidly  gain- 
ing in  popularity  in  the  South.  It  is  a  round,  white- 
skinned  and  white-fleshed  potato,  an  early,  heavy  bearer 
and  has  excellent  table  qualities. 

Extra -Early  Sunlight  is  an  oblong  white  potato,  very 
early  and  productive.  Its  form  and  color  make  it  popular. 
It  is  a  very  promising  variety. 

Early  Ohio  is  a  popular  early  variety,  which  has  given 
general  satisfaction  but  is  not  quite  equal  to  the  Bliss 
and  Crown  Jewel. 

Beauty  of  Heir  on  is  a  desirable  variety,  ripening  a 
little  later  than  the  foregoing  varieties,  but  popular  for 
the  home -garden  on  account  of  its  fine  table  qualities. 

Garman  No.  3  is  a  favorite  second -early  variety. 
The  tubers  are  white,  with  pure  white  flesh,  very  uni- 
form in  size  and  shape,  and  its  table  qualities  are 
unsurpassed. 

Burhank  and  Peerless  are  two  old  varieties  which 
have  retained  their  popularity  for  general  crop  varie- 
ties. 

The  early -maturing  varieties  are  most  popular  in  the 
South,  because  they  make  before  the  hot  summer  weather 
arrives,  but  the  medium  and  late  varieties  succeed  well 
if  planted  early,  and  properly  guarded  against  drought 
by  mulching  between  the  rows  after  a  good  rain,  or  bj^ 
stirring  the  surface  promptly  after  every  rain  to  conserve 
moisture  by  means  of  the  soil  mulch.  In  the  mountain 
region,  which  is  especially  adapted  to  this  crop,  the 
general  crop  and  late  varieties  are  desirable. 

For  some  reason,  the  impression  very  generally 
prevails  that  it  is  necessary  to  purchase  northern -grown 


The   Best    Ways    to    Cook    Potatoes  139 

potatoes  to  plant  every  year.  Experiments  made  to  com- 
pare northern-  and  home-grown  seed  have  not  sustained 
this  view.  The  failure  of  many  growers  either  to  carry 
over  the  spring  crop  or  grow  the  fall  crop  is  probably 
responsible  for  the  belief.  Those  who  pursue  the  busi- 
ness in  a  systematic,  business-like  manner  grow  the 
fall  crop  from  spring- grown  seed  and  the  spring  crop 
from  fall -grown  seed.  If  this  is  regularly  practiced,  it 
will  materially  reduce  the  cost  of  growing  this  crop  in 
the  South. 

There  is  no  other  vegetable  which  can  be  prepared 
in  so  many  different  ways  and  all  good.  They  are  ready 
for  use  when  half -grown.  Washed  thoroughly,  at  the 
same  time  rubbing  off  the  tender  skin,  they  are  ready  to 
be  boiled.  Half  an  hour  before  dinner  is  to  be  served, 
put  the  potatoes  into  hot  slightly  salted  water,  enough 
to  cover  them,  and  boil  gently  until  done.  Pour  off  the 
water,  and  serve  hot  with  drawn  butter.  If  allowed  to 
stand  in  the  water  after  they  are  done,  they  become 
clammy  and  unfit  to  eat.  They  are  often  spoiled  by 
being  boiled  with  meat.  When  potatoes  are  fully  grown, 
those  to  be  cooked  together  should  be  of  the  same  size, 
or  the  small  ones  will  be  ruined  before  the  large  ones 
are  done.  As  soon  as  done,  pour  off  the  water  and 
wring  each  one  separately  in  a  clean  towel,  to  squeeze 
out  the  water,  and  slip  off  the  skin.  Potatoes  treated  in 
this  way  will  be  dry  and  mealy  and  ready  for  drawn 
butter,  salt  and  pepper.  Serve  hot.  Potatoes,  like  rice, 
can  be  served  on  short  notice.  They  may  also  be  pre- 
pared in  several  ways  in  advance  of  the  meals.  They 
may  be  sliced  and  stewed  and  seasoned   with  butter, 


140         Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical    Manual 

milk* and  salt;  they  may  be  sliced  raw  and  fried  on  a 
quick  pan;  they  may  be  boiled  the  day  before  and  sliced 
and  fried  for  breakfast;  they  may  be  mashed  and  made 
into  cakes  and  fried,  or  they  may  be  sliced  and  made 
into  a  salad,  or  mashed  and  made  into  salad.  They  may 
be  taken  hot  from  the  vessel  in  which  they  were  boiled, 
mashed  thoroughly,  seasoned  with  butter  and  cream, 
and  stewed  until  the  seasoning  is  cooked  into  them  as 
"creamed"  potatoes,  or  they  may  be  mashed,  seasoned 
and  baked  until  the  surface  is  browned,  or  they  may  be 
sliced  and  boiled  in  hot  lard  and  made  into  "Saratoga 
chips."  The  ripe  potato  is  excellent  baked  in  "its  own 
jacket"  and  served  hot.  It  is  like  the  negro's  rabbit  — 
"good  anyway"  it  is  cooked. 

THE     SWEET    POTATO 

Climatic  conditions  favorable  to  this  plant  are  just 
the  reverse  of  those  of  the  Irish  potato.  This  requires 
a  summer  temperature  of  four  to  five  months.  Its  cul- 
tivation is  confined  almost  entirely  to  the  states  from 
New  Jersey  south.  While  some  are  grown  in  Ohio  and 
Illinois,  the  production  is  small  compared  with  the 
southern  states.  A  rich,  sandy  loam  is  the  ideal  soil  for 
sweet  potatoes,  but  excessive  fertility  is  not  desired.  A 
soil  over -fertile  produces  vine  at  the  expense  of  the 
enlarged  roots,  for  which  especially  the  crop  is  grown. 
The  Irish  potato  is  a  tuber,  while  the  sweet  potato  is  a 
:uberous  root  or  the  enlargement  of  a  true  root,  which 
extends  on  beyond  the  potato  and  performs  the  functions 
of  a  true  root.    The  Irish   potato  is  grown  on  a  stem 


How    to    Grow   Sweet   Potatoes  141 

which  performs  no  such  functions,  but  is  put  forth  for 
the  sole  purpose  of  making  the  tuber. 

The  sweet  potato  blooms  under  favorable  conditions, 
but  produces  no  seed.  It  is  propagated  from  tuberous 
roots  and  vine  cuttings.  The  roots  are  bedded  on  a  warm 
exposure,  as  follows:  The  soil  is  trenched  out  four  feet 
wide  and  as  long  as  necessary  to  receive  the  quantity  to 
be  bedded.  The  trenches  should  be  four  inches  deep  and 
filled  with  unfermented  manure,  over  which  soil  should 
be  spread  to  the  depth  of  two  inches.  On  this  place  the 
potatoes,  and  press  each  separately  into  the  porous  soil, 
using  only  perfectly  sound  potatoes.  Do  not  allow  them 
to  touch  each  other.  Spread  evenly  over  them  a  porous 
soil  four  inches  deep.  Above  this  spread  clean  straw 
just  thick  enough  to  prevent  the  surface  from  washing 
or  baking  when  watered  or  after  a  heavy  rain.  Watch 
closely,  and  when  the  first  plants  begin  to  appear,  rake 
off  the  straw  and  stir  lightly  the  soil  enough  to  destroy 
all  young  grass  or  weeds.  If  necessary,  sprinkle  the  bed 
from  the  rose  of  a  watering-pot,  going  over  twice  to 
give  time  for  the  first  to  be  absorbed  before  the  second 
is  applied.  Do  this  late  in  the  afternoon.  The  potatoes 
may  be  bedded  the  last  of  March  or  early  in  April, 
according  to  the  advancement  of  the  season  or  the 
latitude.  Further  north  it  is  necessary  to  forward  the 
plants  in  hotbeds  or  coldframes,  but  this  is  not  necessary 
in  the  cotton  belt. 

Prepare  the  land  thoroughly  before  the  plants  are 
ready.  Open  deep  furrows  three  to  three  and  one -half 
feet  apart,  and  apply  the  fertilizer  in  these  at  the  rate  of 
300  pounds  of  acid  phosphate,  300  pounds  of  kainit  and 


142         Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Manual 

200  pounds  of  cottonseed -meal,  or  their  equivalent,  per 
acre.  List  or  turn  two  turn -plow  furrows  on  this,  and, 
just  before  the  plants  are  ready,  complete  the  beds  and 
harrow  across  them  with  a  smoothing- harrow  with  the 
teeth  set  at  an  angle  of  forty -five  degrees.  If  the  soil  is 
wet  when  it  is  desired  to  transplant,  drop  the  plants  so 
that  the  roots  will  lie  across  the  center  of  the  bed,  and 
with  a  stick  concaved  at  one  end,  press  the  roots  into 
the  soil,  taking  care  that  all  roots  are  pressed  in.  With 
a  slight  motion  of  the  stick,  fill  the  hole  made  in  press- 
ing the  plant  down.  This  seems  to  be  a  slovenly  way  of 
planting,  but  it  has  the  merit  of  being  rapidly  done  and 
involves  the  least  possible  stirring  of  the  wet  soil  and 
gets  the  maximum  advantage  of  the  moisture  in  the  soil. 
Besides,  the  plants  put  in  in  this  way  grow  off  more 
promptly  than  those  more  carefully  set  after  the  soil  is 
dry  enough  to  be  stirred.  If  the  soil  is  in  good  moist, 
but  not  wet  condition,  open  a  furrow  with  a  narrow 
plow  in  the  center  of  the  rows,  drop  the  plants  carefully 
eighteen  inches  apart,  with  the  roots  in  the  furrow,  press 
the  root  into  the  soil,  draw  enough  soil  around  it  to 
cover  well,  pack  this  around  the  roots,  and  cover  the 
compacted  part  with  loose  soil  to  prevent  baking.  If  the 
soil  is  dry,  open  holes  at  the  desired  intervals  deep  and 
large  enough  to  hold  a  pint  of  water;  place  the  root  in 
the  hole  and  pour  the  water  on  it.  Now  draw  loose  soil 
from  the  surface  until  the  wet  area  is  covered,  but  do 
not  press  it  upon  the  roots.  The  water  will  settle  the 
fine  soil  around  the  roots  sufficiently. 

Do  not  water  the  beds  too  much  afte-r  the  plants  are 
nearly  ready  for  transplanting,   as  this  will  induce  a 


Sweet   Potatoes  from    Cuttings  143 

succulent,  sappy  growth  of  the  plants  unfavorable  to 
suitable  hardiness  for  transplanting.  Unless,  however, 
the  beds  have  been  made  wet  by  rain,  water  well  an 
hour  before  drawing  the  plants.  To  draw  the  plants 
without  loss,  seize  one  plant  at  a  time  at  its  base,  and 
press  the  soil  around  it  with  the  other  hand  to  prevent 
lifting  the  mother  potato.  Draw  only  plants  which  have 
fully  developed  green  leaves,  leaving  those  younger  for 
the  next  drawing.  If  drawing  has  been  delayed  till  some 
of  the  plants  are  a  foot  long,  make  several  plants  of 
these.  Cut  above  the  first  or  second  leaf,  leaving  these 
with  the  rooted  plant.  Make  vine  cuttings  of  the  rest, 
putting  one  leaf-joint  into  the  ground  and  leaving  one 
out.  A  cutting  need  not  be  longer  than  six  inches,  and, 
strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  vine  cuttings  live  better  and 
grow  off  more  promptly  than  the  rooted  "sets,"  "draws," 
or  "slips,"  as  they  are  indifferently  named.  Not  only 
so,  but  they  produce  smoother,  finer  potatoes  than  the 
slips  set  at  the  same  time.  Repeated  experiments  de- 
signed to  compare  the  productiveness  of  slips  and  vine 
cuttings  resulted  generally  in  favor  of  the  cuttings,  with 
the  exception  of  one  variety  known  as  Georgia  Yellow 
Yam  or  Sugar  Yam.  The  common  practice  of  cutting  the 
tender,  immature  ends  of  the  vines  a  foot  or  more  in 
length  and  burying  the  center,  leaving  both  ends  out,  is 
putting  the  vine  cuttings  to  a  severe  test.  The  immature 
ends  should  not  be  used.  Only  the  part  of  the  vine 
having  grown  leaves  is  suitable. 

The  economy  of  using  the  vine  cuttings  may  be 
appreciated  when  we  consider  that  ten  bushels  must  be 
bedded  to  furnish  early  slips  for  an  acre  at  one  drawing. 


144         Sonfhern    Gardener^s   Practical   Manual 

Mr,  Ben  Lockett,  of  Georgia,  who  worked  a  large  force 
of  convicts,  planted  annually  thirty  acres  in  sweet 
potatoes  to  feed  the  convicts.  He  told  me  that  his 
practice  was  to  plant  one  acre  of  rich  soil  early  to  grow 
vines.  From  this  acre,  he  planted  twenty -nine  acres 
with  vine  cuttings.  To  grow  sets  enough  to  plant  thirty 
acres  would  require  300  bushels  of  seed  potatoes,  if  ten 
are  required  for  one  acre,  while  by  his  method  only  ten 
were  necessary.  It  is  claimed  by  successful,  experienced 
potato-growers  that  the  best  seed  is  grown  by  planting 
vine  cuttings  in  June  or  July.  The  small,  smooth  roots 
from  the  vines  make  choice  seed.  Some  of  the  very 
successful  growers  use  only  large  seed  potatoes.  Results 
of  experiments  in  which  large  and  small  seed  were 
compared  have  been  conflicting.  It  being  necessary  to 
cut  the  very  large  potatoes  in  half,  placing  the  cut  side 
down,  the  risk  of  rot  is  increased.  The  large  ones  are 
more  valuable  for  the  table  or  for  market  than  the  small 
ones,  and  a  larger  number  of  plants  will  be  produced 
from  a  bed  of  small  than  of  large  potatoes. 

As  soon  as  the  plants  are  set,  the  soil  should  be 
stirred  around  them  with  rake  or  hoe,  and  shallow  culti- 
vation with  scrape  or  cultivator  should  be  continued 
until  the  vines  cover  the  ground.  At  the  last  plowing, 
turn  the  vines  into  alternate  rows  while  those  from 
which  they  are  moved  are  being  plowed.  As  this  will  be 
the  last  plowing,  use  the  Terrell  heel -scrape,  thirty -six 
inches  wide  with  shovel,  both  on  top  of  the  foot.  With 
this,  one  furrow  to  each  row  will  move  sufficient  soil  to 
the  rows  of  plants.  Turn  back  the  vines,  and  plow  the 
alternate  rows  in  the  same  way.     Take  care  not  to  cover 


Booting   of  Siveet   Potato    Vines  145 

the  vines  with  soil,  as  this  will  cause  them  to  take  root, 
to  the  injury  of  the  crop.  Turning  the  vines  will  not  be 
necessary  with  the  vineless  varieties,  but  the  wing  of 
the  scrape  should  be  run  under  the  short  vines  where 
they  have  taken  root.  Just  in  proportion  as  the  vines 
take  root,  will  the  crop  be  reduced.  The  sap  prepared 
for  the  nourishment  of  the  plant  beyond  the  points 
where  the  vines  have  taken  root,  will  be  expended  in  the 
development  of  "strings, "or  very  small  potatoes,  along 
the  vine  instead  of  passing  back  to  the  main  roots.  If 
after  wet  spells,  therefore,  the  vines  take  root  in  the 
middles,  go  over  with  long-tined  rakes  and  lift  them 
sufficiently  to  tear  the  roots  loose  from  the  soil.  No 
other  attention  than  preventing  the  vines  from  taking 
root  will  be  needed  until  harvest. 

Since  sweet  potatoes  do  not  produce  seed,  the  multi- 
plication of  varieties  presents  a  perplexing  problem. 
That  they  do  cross  in  some  way  is  a  fact  based  upon  the 
observation  of  many  planters.  I  have  seen  both  red  and 
yellow  potatoes  growing  on  the  same  vine,  and  single 
specimens  partly  red  and  partly  j-ellow.  This  occurred 
where  varieties  of  these  two  colors  were  grown  in 
adjacent  rows,  but  how  the  cross  was  effected  is  the 
problem.  Bud- variation,  suggested  by  one  author,  does 
not  explain  it.  There  are  several  distinct  types,  distin- 
guished by  differently  formed  leaves,  different  vine 
growth  and  characteristic  gumminess  of  the  juice,  etc. 
Each  variety  has  its  distinctive  form  of  root  and  color  of 
skin  and  flesh,  as  well  as  the  quality  of  the  latter.  The 
northern  taste  calls  for  a  dry  potato,  while  the  most 
popular  in  the  South  is  that  with  a  rich,  sugary  flavor. 


146         Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Manual 

Georgia  Yam,  or  Sugar  Yam,  is  almost  universally 
recognized  as  the  standard  of  excellence.  This  is  a 
smooth  potato  with  pale  yellow  skin  and  flesh,  largest 
in  the  middle  and  tapering  rather  abruptly  toward  the 
stem  and  more  gently  toward  the  root.  This  has  a 
deeply  divided  leaf,  but  is  not  a  heavy  bearer. 

PumpMn  Yam. — This  is  probably  next  to  the  Georgia 
Yam  in  popularity.  The  potatoes  are  yellow  on  the  out- 
side and  the  color  of  the  flesh  that  of  a  pumpkin  on  the 
inside,  hence  its  name.  This  is  an  abundant  producer 
of  large,  well-shaped  roots  of  superior  quality  from  the 
standpoint  of  southern  taste.  A  peculiarity  of  the 
variety  is  the  production  of  some  of  the  largest  potatoes 
in  the  middle  of  the  rows.  It  is  a  good  keeper,  of  superior 
table  quality  and,  together  with  the  Georgia  Yam,  excel- 
lent for  evaporating.  This  is  the  only  variety  I  have  ever 
known  to  grow  in  size  after  being  banked  for  winter. 

Horton  Yam  is  another  popular  variety  in  South 
Carolina  and  Georgia.  This  is  a  medium  productive 
variety,  with  color  between  that  of  the  Georgia  Yam 
and  the  Pumpkin  Yam.  The  quality  approaches  more 
nearly  that  of  the  Pumpkin  Yam. 

Extra-Early  Caroline  is  an  early,  productive  variety, 
roundish  in  form,  with  fresh  yellow  color. 

Yellow  Nansemond.  —  A  rather  small  yellow,  oblong 
potato  very  popular  in  Virginia,  Maryland  and  New 
Jersey,  not  grown  much  south  of  Virginia.  This  is  a 
dry  potato,  but  very  sweet. 

Red  Nose  has  proved  to  be  a  very  heavy  yielder  and 
of  good  quality.  It  is  yellow  wHth  red  tip  when  first 
dug,  whence  the  name. 


Harvesting   the    Stveet   Potato    Crop  147 

Hanover  Yam. — A  large,  round,  white  variety, 
adapted  to  heavy  soils;  a  heavy  yielder,  but  not  first- 
class  in  quality. 

There  are  several  different  types  of  the  Bunch  or 
"  Vineless^^  Yam,  the  peculiar  characteristics  of  which  are 
that  the  vines  are  very  short,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
spaces  between  the  leaves  are  frequently  not  more  than 
one  inch.  There  are  about  as  many  leaves  to  the  vine 
as  on  the  vine  varieties,  but  clustered  closely  on  the 
stem.  They  are  more  easily  cultivated  than  the  long- 
vine  varieties,  but  the  potatoes  average  smaller  than  the 
vine  varieties  and  are  not  as  good  keepers.  The  potatoes 
are  clustered  closely  in  the  hill  and  are  hence  easily 
dug. 

The  Spanish  varieties,  which  -were  very  popular  forty 
years  ago,  are  rarely  cultivated  now.  They  are  usually 
long,  slender  and  of  an  ashy  color  inside.  They  were 
planted  by  breaking  or  cutting  the  potatoes  into  pieces 
one  or  two  inches  long  and  dropping  in  the  row  like  Irish 
potatoes.  This  is  not  a  desirable  method,  as  the  grass 
and  weeds  usually  appear  in  advance  of  the  potatoes. 

HARVESTING    OB    DIGGING 

There  is  much  difference  of  opinion  among  growers 
as  to  the  proper  time  to  dig.  The  general  practice  is  to 
wait  until  the  vines  are  killed  by  frost,  but  there  is  risk 
of  having  the  potatoes  injured  if  a  freeze  accompanies 
the  first  frost,  as  was  the  case  in  1904.  The  theory  on 
which  this  practice  is  based  is  that  the  frost  stops  the 
growth  of  the  vine  and  hastens  maturity,  but  it  often 


148         Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Mammal 

happens  that  a  rain  just  before  the  frost  renews  the 
growth  and  produces  a  sappy  condition  of  the  potato. 
There  is  usually  a  protracted  drought  in  the  fall  which 
checks  if  it  does  not  stop  growth,  inducing  a  dry 
condition  of  the  roots  which  promotes  their  keeping 
qualities.  The  best  and  most  reliable  indication  of 
ripeness  is  manifested  by  the  prompt  formation  of  an 
artificial  skin  over  a  cut  surface.  If  the  potato  is  in  a 
growing  condition,  the  cut  surface  will  become  dark  by 
exposure,  while  the  matured  root  will  promptly  heal  the 
wound  by  an  apparent  crystallization  of  the  sap  over  the 
wound,  forming  a  white  artificial  skin  for  its  protection. 
Potatoes  are  generally  very  roughly  treated  in  digging, 
and  carelessly  handled  afterwards.  The  skin  of  fruits 
and  the  bark  of  plants  are  intended  to  protect  the 
interior  from  access  of  air  with  its  burden  of  germs. 
Puncture  a  growing  peach,  and  the  plant  at  once  repairs 
the  injury;  puncture  it  when  ripe,  and  it  promptly 
begins  to  rot  at  that  point.  Its  recuperative  power  no 
longer  exists.  The  sweet  potato  is  cut  or  bruised  by  the 
plow;  it  is  then  picked  up  and  pitched  to  the  pile  some 
six  or  eight  feet  away,  where  it  falls  upon  its  mates  or 
perhaps  strikes  a  stone.  In  either  case  its  natural  pro- 
tecting cover  is  broken  and  access  to  its  interior  given 
to  the  germs  of  destruction.  The  potatoes  are  thrown 
into  a  rough  split  basket,  which  when  filled  is  handled 
by  holding  opposite  sides,  and  these  being  elastic,  the 
skin  is  again  rubbed  from  the  potatoes.  They  are 
dumped  into  the  naked  wagon -body  and  still  further 
bruised,  hauled  over  a  rough  road  and  roughly  handled 
in  the  baskets  again.     The  fermentation    which  takes 


Keeping    Siveet    Potatoes   in    Winter  149 

place  in  the  "bank"  generates  a  temperature  favorable 
to  the  growth  of  the  fungous  germs  or  spores  absorbed 
during  their  rough  exposure.  Is  it  strange  that  they 
refuse  to  keep  after  such  an  experience!  To  withstand 
the  rough  handling  in  general  practice,  a  variety  having 
a  tough  skin  seems  a  desideratum.  Reformation  is 
imperatively  demanded  in  the  method  of  treating  this 
important  crop.  Potatoes  should  be  dug,  if  practicable, 
when  the  soil  is  comparatively  dry,  so  that  no  dirt  will 
adhere  to  them.  They  should  be  spread  to  dry  in  the 
sun  where  they  are  dug.  This  will  diminish  the  injury 
from  handling  and  improve  their  keeping  qualities. 

A  full  description  of  the  variety  of  methods  adopted 
for  keeping  through  the  winter  w^ould  fill  a  volume.  The 
most  common  practice  on  the  farm  is  as  follows:  Dig  a 
shallow  circular  ditch  around  an  area  sufficient  for  the 
bank,  throwing  the  dirt  toward  the  center  of  the  circle, 
thus  affording  safe  drainage.  This  circle  should  extend 
one  foot  outside  of  the  base  of  the  pile  of  potatoes,  to 
serve  as  a  base  on  which  to  build  the  cover.  Spread  drj- 
straw  six  inches  deep  over  the  circle.  Build  a  cone  of 
potatoes  in  the  center; cover  them  with  six  inches  of  dry 
straw,  and  place  over  this  large  pieces  of  pine  bark, 
boards  or  corn-stalks;  then  build,  on  the  margin  left 
for  the  purpose,  a  covering  of  soil,  carrying  it  nearly  to 
the  top  of  the  bank  of  uniform  thickness,  leaving  a 
space  at  the  top  a  foot  in  diameter  for  the  escape  of  gas. 

Protect  with  a  board  shelter,  sufficient  to  keep  off 
rain.  Before  severe  weather,  close  the  opening  left  at 
the  top  with  the  uniform  thickness  of  soil.  Some  place 
a  ventilator  in  the  center  of  the  hill.    It  would  be  well 


150         Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Manual 

to  save  dry  sand  during  the  summer  or  fall,  stored 
where  it  will  remain  dry  until  needed,  and  fill  all  spaces 
between  the  potatoes  with  this,  spreading  the  potatoes 
in  layers  and  pouring  the  sand  on  each  layer .  as  the 
bank  is  formed  to  keep  the  potatoes  separated  and  to 
keep  out  mice.  In  my  experience,  mice  often  start  the 
rot  by  pulping  a  mass  of  the  meat  of  the  potatoes, 
which  starts  fermentation.  Potatoes  grown  in  sandy 
soils  usually  keep  well  in  this  way.  Not  more  than 
twenty-five  bushels  should  be  put  into  a  bank  of  this 
kind.  Some  store  in  sand  in  cellars,  some  build  potato- 
houses  and  store  in  sand  covered  thickly  with  straw,  etc. 
Uncle  Peter,  one  of  my  grandfather's  old  slaves,  dug  a 
pit  under  the  floor  of  his  cabin  in  front  of  the  fireplace, 
and  stored  in  that.  He  had  seed  potatoes  for  sale  every 
spring.  The  surest  method  is  described  in  the  following 
extract  from  Bulletin  71  of  the  South  Carolina  Experi- 
ment Station.  Following  this  method,  each  family  may 
put  up  enough  in  the  fall  for  a  table  supply. 

NUW  ME  TROD    OF   EVAPORATING    SWEET  POTATOES 

Three  years  ago  the  solution  of  the  problem  of  how 
to  introduce  the  sweet  potato  to  commerce  was  under- 
taken. There  were  two  difficulties  to  be  overcome :  First, 
to  render  the  potato  less  perishable,  and  second,  to 
reduce  its  weight  and  thus  render  its  shipment  to  distant 
markets  practicable. 

The  question  of  varieties,  fertilization  and  cultivation 
had  been  exhaustively  studied.  That  large  crops  can  be 
produced  at   small  cost  has  been  demonstrated.    That 


Evaporating    Sweet   Potatoes  151 

they  furnish  cheap  and  nutritious  food  not  only  for  man, 
but  for  all  classes  of  domestic  animals,  is  not  questioned. 
As  a  market  crop  they  have  thus  far  fallen  far  short 
of  success.  Why  is  thisf  First,  they  are  too  bulky  to 
bear  transportation,  even  to  our  own  large  cities;  sec- 
ond, they  are  too  perishable  to  bear  rough  handling  and 
exposure  to  freezing  weather.  The  problem,  therefore, 
which  we  undertook  to  solve  was  to  reduce  the  bulk  and 
weight,  by  drying  off  surplus  moisture,  to  so  sterilize 
the  product  as  to  exempt  them  from  the  fungous  diseases 
to  which  the  green  product  is  subject,  and  to  accomplish 
these  ends  without  impairing  the  edible  qualities  of  the 
desiccated  product. 

THE   FIRST  EFFORT   ONLY  A   PARTIAL    SUCCESS 

In  1899,  the  roots  were  peeled  and  sliced  and  dried  in 
a  movable  evaporator.  This  resulted  in  removing  the  ex- 
cess of  moisture,  and,  consequently,  reducing  the  weight 
to  one -fourth  that  of  the  green  roots,  and  rendering  the 
product  non-perishable,  but  this  was  accompanied  by 
a  practical  destruction  of  the  flavor.  The  surplus  mois- 
ture was  removed,  but  the  reabsorption  of  the  moisture 
was  not  satisfactory,  and,  hence,  when  cooked,  they  did 
not  resemble  in  consistency  or  flavor  the  fresh  potato. 

Since  these  results  were  obtained  the  Chemical  De- 
partment of  Clemson  College  has  successfully  manufac- 
tured a  quantity  of  starch  of  superior  quality  from  sweet 
potatoes.  These  investigations  are  to  be  continued,  with 
the  expectation  of  placing  this  new  industry  on  a  com- 
mercial basis. 


152         Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

DISCOVERY   OF   A    LADT 

In  1900,  Mr.  J.  Sara  Pickett,  foreman  of  the  Station 
work,  learned  that  Mrs.  E.  F.  McDowell,  of  North 
Carolina,  had  succeeded  in  producing  a  satisfactory  ar- 
ticle by  boiling  the  potatoes  before  evaporating  thera. 
Acting  upon  this  suggestion,  fairly  good  results  were 
obtained,  and  a  merchantable  article  produced  by  boiling 
in  an  open  kettle,  and  using  again  the  fruit -evaporator 
The  work,  however,  was  irregularly  done,  many  of  the 
slices  being  overcooked  and  hard. 

A  sufficient  percentage  of  the  output  was  properly 
prepared  to  demonstrate  that  the  method  was  correct 
and  that  satisfactory  success  was  attainable  with  a  suit- 
able outfit,  skilfully  handled.  To  test  the  keeping 
qualities  of  this  output,  a  part  of  the  product  remained 
in  ordinary  cloth  sacks  for  seventeen  months,  having 
passed  through  two  winters  and  one  summer  in  a  perfect 
state  of  preservation. 

A    COMPLETE   SUCCESS 

In  the  fall  of  1901,  experiments  were  made  with 
thirteen  different  varieties  to  test  their  comparative 
adaptation  for  the  purpose. 

A  room  was  equipped  for  steam  heating  in  connection 
with  the  cannery  in  the  horticultural  division  of  the 
experiment  station,  by  means  of  which  the  work  of  boil- 
ing, peeling  and  evaporating  could  be  more  expeditiously 
and  economically  performed. 

By  means  of  a  derrick  used  in  the  cannery,  several 


Results    of  Evaporating    Potatoes  153 

bushels  of  green  potatoes  were  lowered  in  an  iron 
basket  into  a  large  boiler,  in  which  the  water  was  heated 
by  steam.  To  secure  uniform  cooking,  the  roots  should 
be  nearl\'  of  the  same  size.  Those  weighing  from  one 
to  two  pounds  required  one  hour  for  thorough  cooking, 
Six  to  eight  hours  were  required  for  evaporating  them 
at  a  temperature  of  150°  Fahr.  An  ordinary  laborer 
peeled  and  sliced  one  bushel  per  hour. 

The  accompanying  tabulated  statements  present  the 
following  facts,  viz. :  First,  yield  per  acre  of  each  variety 
in  bushels;  second,  yield  of  evaporated  potatoes  per  100 
pounds,  green;  third,  number  of  pounds  sound  green 
potatoes  stored  and  the  pounds  of  sound  roots  taken 
out. 

Yield  per  Yield  per        Per  cent  of    Yield  per  acre 

Name  of  Variety  acre  in  acre  in  evaporated      of  the  evapo- 

bushels  pounds  product       rated  product 

Pumpkin  Yam   ....  232  13,920  24  3,340 

Hanover  Yam    ....  329  19,740  26  5,132 

Extra-Early  Caroline  .  146  8,760  25  2,190 

Red  Nose 238  14,280  24  3,427 

Nansemond 222  13,320  22  2,930 

Bunch  Yam 165  9,900  18  1,782 

Georgia  Sugar  Yam  .   .  211  12,660  23  2,911 

Vineland  Bunch  Yam  .  136  8,160  22  1,795 

Jersey  Big  Stem   ...  357  21,420  29.5  6,318 

Pierson  Yam 328  19,680  22  4,329 

Jersey  Red 261  15,660  29  4,542 

Under  this  system  there  can  be  no  loss  from  rotting 
during  storage.  On  the  contrary,  the  evaporated  prod- 
uct is  not  only  not  perishable,  but,  containing  only 
3.42  per  cent  of  moisture,  will  keep  for  an  indefinite 
time  and  bear  transportation  to  any  part  of  the  world 
at  any  season. 


154         Southern    Oardener^s    Practical   Manual 

The  following  statement  shows  the  loss  by  rotting  of 
the  same  varieties  used  for  evaporation: 

No.  pounds  No.  pounds 

Name  of  Variety                                                   stored  in  sound  in 

November  March 

Pumpkin  Yam 199.6  151.6 

Hanover  Yam 284.0  265.1 

Extra-Early  Caroline 96.0  86.5 

Red  Nose 188.6 

Nansemond  (from  Richmond) 172.3  155.1 

Bunch  Yam ,    115.8 

Georgia  Sugar  Yam 161.6  34.2 

Vineland  Bunch  Yam 86.0  19.5 

Jersey  Big  Stem 307.3  165.0 

Pierson  Yam 278.3  158.5 

Jersey  Red 211.7  148.5 

Nansemond  (New  Jersey) 200.6  111.3 

Horton  Yam 196.0  95.7 

The  evaporated  potatoes  show  the  following  per- 
centages according  to  analysis,  kindly  made  by  the 
Chemical  Department  of  Clemson  College: 

Air -dry  product  from  the  evaporator:  Moisture,  3.42 
per  cent;  crude  ash,  2.48  per  cent;  crude  protein,  5.06 
per  cent;  crude  fat,  0.80  per  cent;  crude  fiber,  2.08  per 
cent;   nitrogen -free  extract,  86.16  per  cent. 

To  prevent  hardening  of  the  product,  it  should  be 
packed  in  close  boxes  as  soon  as  practicable  after  re- 
moval from  the  hot  room. 


PREPARATION   FOR    USE 

Soak    the   slices    in    warm   water   for  an  hour,   and 
prepare  as  dressed  or  candied  potatoes.     The  desiccated 


Sweet   Potatoes   as   Staple   Food  155 

potatoes  may  also  be  used,  as  are  the  fresh  roots,  for 
puddings,  custards  and  pies. 

The  sweet  potato  prepared  in  some  form  is  as 
commonly  found  on  southern  tables  as  bread,  for  which 
it  is  an  excellent  substitute.  They  may  be  prepared  in 
such  a  variety  of  ways  that  one  does  not  tire  of  them. 
Whether  we  consider  it  from  the  standpoint  of  food  for 
man  or  for  animals,  it  is  by  far  the  most  profitable  root 
crop  for  the  South.  On  the  coast  of  South  Carolina  it  is 
fed  to  horses,  mules  and  cows  from  early  fall  to  late 
spring.  Sandy  uplands  which  will  produce  only  twenty 
bushels  of  corn  will  easily  grow  two  hundred  of 
potatoes,  three  bushels  of  which  are  equivalent  to  one  of 
corn  in  feeding  value.  Pork  fattened  on  potatoes  is  just 
as  good  as  that  fattened  on  corn.  The  vines,  fed  green 
or  cured,  materially  increase  the  flow  of  milk  from  cows 
fed  upon  them. 

PUMPKIN 

While  this  is  more  commonly  grown  in  the  field  than 
in  the  garden,  it  is  a  desirable  crop  for  the  garden  if 
one  has  no  field  in  which  to  grow  it.  It  will  produce 
well  on  any  class  of  soil,  provided  it  is  fertile.  The 
objection  to  planting  it  in  the  garden  is  the  risk  of 
crossing  with  other  species  of  the  cucurbita  family. 
Enough  for  a  winter's  family  supply  maj"  be  grown  in 
vacant  spots  about  the  lot.  Under  ordinary  conditions, 
poultry  will  not  disturb  it.  While  young  and  tender  it 
ma}^  be  used  as  a  substitute  for  the  summer  squash  and 
is  not  easily  distinguished  from  the  latter,  over  which  it 
has  the  advantage  of  growing  better  in  early  fall;   and, 


156         Southern    Gardener^ s    Practical   Manual 

being  less  wateiy,  requires  less  cooking.  It  is  generally 
grown  in  corn-fields,  planted  at  the  same  time  with  the 
corn.  Plant  in  the  corn  rows,  ten  feet  apart  each  waj', 
and  leave  onl}^  one  plant  in  a  place.  It  will  paj%  how- 
ever, to  set  apart  an  area  to  be  devoted  entirely  to  this 
crop,  since  there  are  few  crops  which  will  produce  more 
stock  food  per  acre.  All  varieties  keep  well  in  winter  if 
stored  in  a  cool  place  and  protected  from  severe  freezes. 
I  have  gathered  sixteen  from  single  isolated  vines 
planted  in  rich  spots  about  the  lot. 

The  best  varieties  for  table  use  are  Japanese  Pie  and 
Crooknech  Cushaiv,  which  are  used  as  winter  squash  and 
are  very  highly  esteemed  as  such.  The  latter  is  a  long, 
curved  variety  having  a  solid  neck  and  a  bulb  at  one 
end  in  which  the  seed  is  produced.  The  largest  and  best 
variety  has  dark  green  stripes  running  its  entire  length. 
The  solid  neck  is  often  six  to  eight  inches  in  diameter 
and  fifteen  to  eighteen  inches  from  the  bulb  to  the  stem, 
measured  along  the  side  of  the  curve. 

Virginia  Mammoth. —  This  is  a  superior  oval-shaped 
variety  adapted  to  the  South.  The  flesh  is  thick,  of  a 
rich  golden  color  and  fine  flavor.  It  is  a  good  keeper 
and  grows  to  an  immense  size. 

Cheese. — This  is  a  large  common  kind  usually  grown 
in  corn-fields;   flattened  and  heavily  ribbed. 

Potiron.—ThiQ  is  one  of  the  largest  grown,  reaching 
under  high  culture  200  pounds  in  weight.  Though  large, 
its  fine-grained  yellow  flesh  is  rich  and  sweet  and  well 
suited  for  table  use.  The  main  objection  is  its  great 
size. 

Tennessee  Sweet  Potato. — This  is  a  pear-shaped  variety 


Mow    to   Raise    Good   Radishes  157 

with  dry  flesh.     When  cooked  it  resembles  the  sweet 
potato  in  color  and  taste. 

RADISH 

This  is  a  cruciferous  plant,  grown  for  its  pungent 
root.  To  be  tender  and  crisp,  it  must  be  grown  on  fertile 
soil  with  abundant  moisture.  Rapid  growth  is  necessary 
to  insure  good  table  qualities.  A  dish  of  fresh  red 
radishes  mingled  with  crisp,  green  lettuce,  is  quite  orna- 
mental. While  many  enjoy  an  occasional  dish  of  this 
vegetable  in  early  spring,  most  persons  soon  tire  of  it. 

There  are  three  types  of  radishes,  viz..  Turnip- 
shaped,  Olive -shaped  and  Long.  Of  the  latter,  there 
are  summer  and  winter  varieties. 

Of  the  turnip -shaped,  the  most  desirable  are  the 
Cardinal  Globe,  Scarlet- Turnip  and  the  Ilew  Crimson 
Giant. 

Of  the  olive-shaped,  the  French  Breakfast  and  Extra- 
Earhj  Scarlet  are  the  most  popular. 

Of  the  long  type,  the  best  are  Chartier  Long  Scarlet 
and  Early  Frame  for  summer  and  Long  White  Spanish 
for  winter. 

The  seeds  are  sometimes  sown  thinly  with  those  of 
other  plants,  which  germinate  slowly  to  mark  the  rows. 
They  can  also  occupy  the  space  between  the  rows  of 
other  vegetables. 

RAPE 

This  is  largely  grown  for  pasturage  for  sheep  and 
hogs  in  this  countrv  and  for  the  oil  in  the  seed.   It  is 


158         Southern    Oardener's   Practical   Manual 

becoming  popular  as  a  salad  plant,  the  leaves  of  which 
are  boiled  as  kale,  turnip  leaves  or  young  cabbage.  On 
account  of  this  use  now  made  of  it,  the  name  of  Georgia 
Salad  is  sometimes  applied  to  it.  It  is  sown  here  in 
September,  either  broadcast  or  in  drills  twelve  to  fifteen 
inches  apart,  and  affords  excellent  pasturage  for  sheep 
and  hogs,  as  well  as  salad  for  man. 

Dwarf  Essex  is  the  variety  usually  planted.  If  sown 
for  pasturage,  use  about  two  to  three  pounds  of  seed 
broadcast.  If  for  salad,  sow  in  drills  twelve  to  eighteen 
inches,  and  thin  as  used  to  stand  four  to  six  inches  in 
the  row.  If  the  tops  are  cut  back,  it  will  branch  and 
continue  longer  in  use.  A  severe  freeze  following  a 
warm  growing  season  in  winter  will  kill  the  plants,  but 
they  may  be  renewed  by  early  spring  sowing.  While 
this  makes  a  very  good  boiled  salad,  it  is  neither  so 
handsome  a  plant  nor  is  it  so  hardy  as  kale.  There  are 
few  more  beautiful  foliage  plants  than  Scotch  Curled  or 
Norfolk  kale,  which,  sown  in  August,  affords  excellent 
salad  through  the  entire  winter. 

RHUBARB,  OR    PIE -PLANT 

This  is  a  perennial  of  the  Rumex  family  which  is 
cultivated  for  its  leaf -stalk,  and  as  soon  as  fully  grown 
is  slipped  from  the  stalk,  the  outer  skin  removed  and 
then  cut  across  into  pieces  half  to  an  inch  long  and 
made  into  pies.  Since  it  is  ready  for  use  very  early  in  the 
spring,  before  there  is  fruit,  it  is  much  enjoyed  and 
should  have  a  place  in  every  garden.  It  is  perennial, 
prefers  a  rich  sandy  loam  and  should  be  heavily  fertilized 


Pie -Plant   and    Vegetable    Oyster  159 

annually.  It  is  propagated  by  seed  and  by  division  of 
the  root,  using  care  to  have  a  bud  upon  each  piece. 
This  method  is  to  be  preferred  to  planting  the  seed, 
since  the  latter  is  inclined  to  "sport," 

Cultivation  should  be  shallow  and  frequent,  and 
there  should  be  a  heavy  dressing  of  manure  in  the  spring 
and  again  at  the  end  of  the  pulling  season.  It  is  a  gross 
feeder  and  will  bear  very  heavy  dressings  of  manure. 

The  two  varieties  most  commonly  cultivated  are 
Victoria,  a  coarse,  large,  red -stalked  variety  grown 
principally  for  market,  and  Linnaeus,  which  produces 
large  green  leaf- stalks  more  desirable  for  the  home 
garden . 

SALSIFY,  OR    VEGETABLE    OYSTER 

This  is  one  of  the  most  satisfactory  winter  vegetables 
grown.  It  is  a  biennial  plant  grown  for  its  long  roots, 
which,  when  boiled  and  then  seasoned  and  stewed  like 
oysters,  resembles  the  latter  in  taste;  hence  the  names, 
oyster  plant  and  vegetable  oyster. 

It  is  perfectly  hardy,  enduring  a  temperature  down 
to  zero,  and  may  be  left  in  the  ground  where  it  growls 
all  winter  and  be  dug  as  needed.  Like  the  parsnip, 
it  occupies  the  ground  on  which  it  grows  for  twelve 
months,  but  pays  good  rent  by  furnishing  delicious 
and  wholesome  food  during  the  winter,  when  most 
gardens  are  affording  no  fresh  vegetables.  While 
this  delicious  vegetable  should  be  found  in  every  home 
garden,  it  is  found  in  but  few.  It  delights  in  a  deep 
sandy  loam,  which  should  be  deeplj'  broken  but  not 
manured  broadcast;   but,  like  other  deeply  penetrating 


160         Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

root  crops,  should  have  the  fertilizer  applied  in  the 
bottom  of  a  deep  furrow.  The  fertilizer  may  be  finely 
pulverized  animal  manure  mixed  with  wood  ashes  in  the 
furrow,  or  a  commercial  compound  made  by  mixing  400 
pounds  acid  phosphate,  200  pounds  of  cottonseed- meal 
and  100  pounds  of  muriate  or  sulphate  of  potash  or  400 
pounds  of  kainit.  Mix  these,  and  apply  in  the  drill  at 
the  rate  of  500  pounds  per  acre.  If  practicable,  the 
fertilizer  should  be  covered  six  to  eight  inches  below  the 
general  level  if  long  roots  free  from  laterals  are  desired. 
Bed  on  the  fertilizer,  rake  the  surface  smooth,  sow  the 
seed  thickly  in  a  shallow  drill,  and  cover  to  the  depth  of 
one  inch.  The  books  usually  advise  thinning  to  four  or 
six  inches  in  the  drill.  This  is  a  serious  mistake,  which 
not  only  reduces  the  yield  of  the  crop  but  the  size  and 
form  of  the  roots.  If  the  plants  are  left  twelve  to  the 
foot  of  row,  each  root  will  be  better  than  if  only  two  to 
the  foot,  and  there  will  be  six  times  as  many  roots.  I 
have  observed  this  many  years,  and  have  frequently 
compared  the  roots  grown  thickly  with  those  having  four 
or  six  inches  of  space.  Cultivate  shallow  after  each  rain 
through  the  spring  and  summer.  Plant  in  rows  two  feet 
apart  to  facilitate  the  use  of  the  plow.  This  being  a 
hardy  plant,  the  seed  may  be  sown  in  February  or  as 
early  as  the  soil  is  in  condition  to  be  plowed.  A  half- 
pound  of  seed  will  sow  two  hundred  feet  of  row. 

Mammoth  Sandwich  Island  is  a  long  white  variety 
almost  universally  planted. 

Wisconsin  Golden  is  a  new  and  highly  praised  variety. 

To  prepare  for  use,  wash  and  scrape  the  roots,  slice 
them    into   one -fourth    to   one -half    inch    pieces,   boil 


Sea   Kale   not   Much    Grown  —  Spinach         161 

thoroughly  until  soft.  (All  vegetables  should  be  put 
on  in  hot  water.)  Drain  off  the  water,  return  the  salsify 
to  the  vessel  and  add  milk,  butter  and  salt,  and  stew  as 
oysters.    Add  a  little  vinegar  if  desired. 

For  salsify  cakes,  prepare  and  boil  as  before,  pass 
through  a  colander,  mashing  thoroughly.  Mix  with  Qgg 
and  a  little  flour,  forming  a  batter.  Fry  into  cakes,  and 
serve  hot.    It  is  used  also  for  soup. 

Salsify  is  practically  exempt  from  insect  enemies,  but 
is  subject  to  a  fungus  during  moist  spells  in  summer 
which  is  quite  destructive. 

SEA   KALE 

This  plant  is  occasionally  cultivated  for  its  tender 
leaf -stalks,  but  the  expense  of  cultivation  is  such  that 
very  few  will  take  the  trouble  necessary  for  its  success- 
ful growth  for  the  small  returns  in  a  few  early  dishes, 
since,  in  our  latitude,  we  have  asparagus  almost  as  early. 

SPINACH 

This  is  one  of  the  most  desirable  salads  grown,  and 
yet  the  majority  of  southern  gardens  are  without  it.  It 
should  be  sown  thinly  in  drills  two  feet  apart  in  Sep- 
tember to  get  best  results.  It  is  the  most  hardy  of  the 
salad  plants  that  are  common  in  southern  gardens,  and 
very  much  in  demand  by  those  having  cultivated  taste. 
If  sown  in  September  on  fertile  soil,  it  furnishes  salad 
throughout  the  winter  and  later  in  spring  than  other 
plants.    It  belongs  to  the  same  family  as  the  beet,  but 


162         Southern    Gardener'' s    Fractical    Manual 

is  much  more  hardy.  It  will  endure  a  temperature  of  6° 
above  zero  without  injury,  as  it  has  in  my  garden 
survived  one  of  the  severest  winters  in  this  latitude.  It 
is  grown  for  its  thick  green  leaves  and  is  the  most  deli- 
cate of  the  salads.  While  it  is  best  sown  in  the  early 
fall,  it  may  be  sown  in  early  spring,  but  does  not  thrive 
in  warm  weather,  quickly  running  to  seed.  I  have  not 
found  it  profitable  to  grow  the  seed  in  the  South,  since 
the  warm  weather  blasts  the  seed -stalk.  It  is  a  dioecious 
plant,  and,  if  seed  is  saved,  the  male  plants  may  be 
removed  after  the  seed  begins  to  form. 

The  large  leaves  of  the  plants  are  gathered  where 
the  plants  have  been  properly  thinned,  but  if  too  thick, 
the  surplus  plants  are  taken  out.  It  is  sometimes  boiled 
with  meat  as  are  turnip  greens,  but  this  is  destructive 
to  the  best  qualities  of  the  salad.  The  leaves  should  be 
put  on  in  hot  water  and  boiled  until  done;  after  the 
water  has  been  thoroughly  drained  out,  the  dish  should 
be  served  with  eggs.  Prepared  in  this  way,  it  is  the 
most  delicate  of  all  the  salads,  and,  while  not  very 
nutritious,  is  recognized  as  very  wholesome. 

SQUASH 

This  is  perhaps  the  most  universally  grown  of  the 
cucurbita  family.  Owing  to  the  variety  of  forms,  it  can 
be  made  a  regular  occupant  of  the  family  table  through- 
out the  year.  Like  the  cucumber  and  cantaloupe,  it  may 
be  advanced  two  to  three  weeks  by  starting  in  hotbeds 
or  coldframes,  and,  as  soon  as  up,  potting  off  into  two- 
inch    pots,   which    may   be   sunk    into    the    soil  of   the 


Best    Varietif's    of  Squash  for   the    South       163 

coldfrarae  and  allowed  to  remain  thus  protected  until  all 
dano^er  of  frost  has  passed  and  then  transplanted  to  the 
open  ground.  The  bunch  varieties  should  be  spaced 
four  feet  each  way,  in  hills  heavily  manured,  the  latter 
being  worked  deeply  under  the  hill.  The  squash,  being 
monoecious  in  its  flower  production,  should  not  be 
planted  near  cantaloupes  or  watermelons,  for  fear  of 
cross  pollenation.  The  fruit  should  be  gathered  regularly 
as  soon  as  ready  for  use,  to  relieve  the  vines  and  keep 
them  long  in  bearing.  Squashes  are  fit  for  use  as  long 
as  the  finger-nail  readily  penetrates  the  surface.  This 
for  summer  squashes,  but  the  winter  varieties  are  left 
upon  the  vines  to  ripen.  The  running  varieties  should 
have  a  distance  of  eight  by  eight  feet  for  best  results. 

Select  from  the  early  crop  specimens  typical  of  the 
variety,  and  when  thoroughly  dried,  save  the  seed.  They 
are  good  for  ten  years. 

Summer  Squashes. —  One  of  the  best  is  Yellow  Sum- 
mer CrooJcnecJc.  This  is  a  bunch  variety  which  has  been 
bred  to  such  a  degree  of  prolificness  that  it  bears  more 
female  than  male  flowers.  It  possesses  a  richness  not 
found  in  the  white  varieties. 

White  Patty -pan  is  a  very  prolific,  delicate  variety, 
preferred  by  many  to  the  Crookneck  and  is  a  favorite 
market  sort.  This  is  a  bunch  kind  also.  There  are 
several  variations  of  this  type. 

Vegetable  Marrow  is  a  running  variety  not  much 
grown,  but  its  quality  justifies  the  name.  It  bears 
throughout  the  summer  if  not  attacked  by  insects. 

Winter  Varieties. — The  Hubbard,  Boston  Marrow  and 
others  so  popular  at  the  North  are  not  adapted  to  the 
South. 


164         Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

The  Cushaw  of  several  types  is  especially  adapted  to 
the  southern  states,  keeps  well  and  is  first-class  in 
quality.    See  description  under  the  head  of  Pumpkin. 

The  summer  squash  is  boiled  and  then  fried,  or 
boiled,  passed  through  a  colander  and  then  seasoned  and 
stewed  like  salsify,  making  a  delicious  and  delicate  dish. 
It  may  also  be  sliced,  soaked  in  water  with  a  little  salt 
and  then  fried  in  eg^  and  bread-crumbs  like  eggplant, 
from  which  it  is  distinguished  with  difficulty.  Young 
pumpkins  are  substituted  for  squash  in  the  fall,  and 
have  the  advantage  of  being  drier  than  the  latter. 

TOMATO 

This  plant  belongs  to  the  same  family  as  the  eggplant 
and  Irish  potato.  The  fact  that  it  came  to  us  from  the 
tropics  suggests  that  it  requires  the  warm  season  in  our 
climate  for  its  growth.  It  was  first  grown  in  the  flower 
yard  for  its  showy  fruit,  which  was  suspected  of  being 
poisonous.  Now  it  is  one  of  the  most  highly  prized 
vegetables,  and  is  used  in  more  different  ways  than  any 
other.  It  grows  and  produces  well  on  any  class  of  soil 
if  properly  prepared,  reasonably  well  fertilized  and 
thoroughly  cultivated.  Seed  should  be  sown  in  the  hot- 
bed in  Februarj^  and,  as  soon  as  large  enough,  thinned. 
The  surplus  plants  should  be  potted  and  the  pots  sunk 
into  the  soil  of  the  coldframe;  or,  if  pots  are  not  avail- 
able, the  plants  should  be  transplanted  into  the  soil  of 
the  coldframe,  giving  each  plant  four  square  inches  of 
space.  The  transplanted  plants  will  develop  fibrous 
roots,  become  more  stocky  and  will  bear  the  change  to 


Row   to   Raise   Early  and   Late    Tomatoes      165 

the  open  ground  better  than  those  not  transplanted 
before  being  set  in  their  permanent  places.  At  least  two 
plantings  should  be  made  to  keep  up  a  full  supplj^  of 
first-class  fruit,  since  late  tomatoes  on  old  vines  are 
rarel}^  up  to  the  standard.  The  first  crop  should  be 
transplanted  in  the  open  as  earl}^  as  the  season  will 
allow.  Risk  part  of  the  earh^  crop  even  before  all  danger 
of  frost  is  past,  but  prepare  to  protect  the  plants  if 
threatened.  Several  important  advantages  will  be  gained 
bj^  setting  the  plants  below  the  general  surface  of  the 
soil.  First,  the  plants  are  easilj^  protected  in  such  posi- 
tion from  frost.  Second,  the  cutworm  does  not  like  to 
go  down  below  the  general  surface  after  his  victim. 
Third,  the  tomato  plant  has  to  bear  the  brunt  of  the  hot- 
test season;  and,  if  its  roots  are  deep  in  a  well -manured 
furrow,  it  will  withstand  heat  and  drought.  The  tomato 
readily  takes  root  along  the  stem,  and  thus  is  able  to 
utilize  the  plant -food  in  the  surface  soil,  no  matter  how 
deeply  its  original  roots  are  placed. 

For  a  later  crop,  sow  the  seed  in  open  ground  where 
some  of  the  plants  may  remain  permanently.  Draw  the 
surplus  plants  and  set  them  deeply  as  just  described,  in 
order  that  they  may  the  better  withstand  a  drought  in 
the  fall.  If  the  plant  is  ten  inches  high,  put  six  inches 
into  the  soil.  If  the  supply  of  plants  for  the  fall  crop  is 
deficient,  long  cuttings,  taken  from  bearing  plants,  may 
be  used  as  follows:  Take  cuttings  fifteen  to  eighteen 
inches  long,  from  healthy  bearing  vines.  Having  the  soil 
already  properly  prepared,  open  holes  six  inches  or  more 
deep,  pour  a  quart  of  water  into  each  hole  and,  before 
it  is  absorbed,  put  in  the  cutting  in  an  inclined  position. 


166         Southern    Gardener's    Practical   Manual 

Draw  loose  soil  upon  it  until  all  wet  soil  is  covered, 
leaving  exposed  only  a  few  inches  of  the  growing  end  of 
the  cutting.  Select  the  cuttings  from  the  most  healthy 
and  productive  plants  of  the  best  varieties.  As  far  as 
practicable,  both  plants  and  cuttings  should  be  set  late 
in  the  afternoon.  If  properly  transplanted,  the  loss 
should  not  be  more  than  2  per  cent.  A  piece  of  stout 
paper  folded  around  the  plant,  extending  an  inch  into 
the  soil  and  three  or  four  inches  upon  the  stem  of  the 
plant,  will  keep  off  the  cutworm. 

Cutworms  seem  to  be  omnivorous,  showing  no  prefer- 
ence for  any  particular  species  of  plants.  Our  attention 
is  not  drawn  to  their  attacks  upon  the  wild  species;  but 
when  we  destroy  these  in  the  preparation  for  our  culti- 
vated species,  there  is  nothing  left  green  except  the 
latter  for  them,  and  we  suffer.  The  cutworm  hibernates 
in  the  larval  state,  and  hence  is  ready  to  attack  our 
early  spring  plants.  If  the  land  intended  for  early  crops 
is  plowed  several  times  during  the  winter,  many  of  them 
will  be  destroyed  by  the  cold  and  many  more  by  our 
friends,  the  birds.  If  hens  are  allowed  to  scratch  in  the 
freshly  plowed  ground,  very  few  of  the  larvaB  will 
escape.  If  grain  of  some  kind  is  plowed  in,  the  hens, 
while  scratching  for  this,  will  destroy  many  enemies. 
Many  of  them  may  be  destroyed  by  placing  poisoned 
food  upon  the  area  to  be  planted  before  setting  out  the 
plants.  The  following  substances  may  be  used:  Wheat 
bran  poisoned  with  Paris  green,  sods  of  grass,  clover 
plants,  cabbage  or  coUard  leaves,  bunches  of  small 
grain,  etc.,  all  poisoned  with  Paris  green.  If  these  fail 
or  are  not  used,  then  the  gardener  must  personate  the 


Training    of  the    Tomato    Vine  167 

"early  bird"  and  get  out  before  sun-up  and,  being 
guided  by  tbe  plants  that  have  been  victimized,  search 
out  the  cause  of  the  trouble  and  destroy  it.  The  cut- 
worm does  its  work  at  night  and  on  ch)udy  mornings, 
going  into  the  soil  for  protection  during  bright  days. 

As  soon  as  the  plants  are  transplanted,  stir  lightly 
around  them.  If  it  becomes  necessary  to  water  them, 
either  dig  a  hole  by  them  or  drive  a  stout  stake  near  the 
roots;  remove  the  stake  and  pour  water  into  these  holes 
and,  after  the  water  has  soaked  into  the  soil,  cover  the 
wet  places  with  dr}"  soil. 

If  dwarf  varieties  are  planted,  lay  off  the  rows  three 
feet  apart  and  set  the  plants  two  feet  apart  in  the  row. 
If  large -growing  varieties  are  used,  let  the  rows  be  four 
feet  apart  and  the  plants  three  feet  in  the  row.  Cultivate 
shallow  and  frequently,  stirring  the  surface  as  soon 
after  every  rainfall  as  the  surface  is  dry  enough,  to 
prevent  the  formation  of  a  crust,  and  conserve  the  soil 
moisture  by  means  of  the  surface  mulch. 

If  planted  on  a  large  scale,  no  training  of  the  vines 
can  be  done,  but  in  the  family  garden  the  vines  should 
be  kept  off  the  ground  l\v  such  means  as  may  be  most 
convenient  in  each  case.  If  the  vines  are  not  allowed  to 
trail  upon  the  ground,  a  larger  yield  will  be  secured  and 
rotting  reduced  to  a  minimum.  If  one  has  time  to  give 
regular  and  systematic  attention  to  them,  the  best  plan 
is  to  tie  each  plant  to  a  stout  stake  driven  securely  into 
the  ground  and  rising  four  feet  above.  Pinch  out  all  the 
small  limbs  which  put  forth  from  the  axils  of  the  leaves 
below  the  point  wliere  the  plant  branches  and  forms  a 
cluster  of  flowers  on  one  of  the  branches.    Pinch  off  the 


168         Southern    Oardener^s   Practical   Manual 

bud  from  the  branch  bearing  the  flower -cluster,  and 
allow  the  other  branch  to  continue  growing.  Repeat 
this  as  often  as  the  plant  forks  and  a  flower- cluster 
is  formed.  If  inferior  specimens  appear  in  the  cluster 
of  tomatoes,  remove  them;  this  will  very  decidedly 
increase  the  size  of  those  left.  Treated  in  this  way, 
the  cultivation  of  the  plants  may  be  continued  through- 
out the  season,  and  the  fruit  will  be  finer  than  by  any 
other  method  I  have  tried,  while  there  will  be  practically 
no  rot.  Besides,  the  fruit  being  fully  exposed,  the 
parent  of  the  tomato  worm  is  not  so  likely  to  deposit 
its  eggs  upon  it. 

The  tomato  is  subject  to  two  serious  diseases;  viz., 
what  is  commonly  known  as  the  "bud-end  rot"  and  the 
leaf -blight.  No  satisfactory  preventive  has  been  found 
for  the  former.  Spraying  early  and  frequently  with 
Bordeaux  mixture  will  prevent  the  latter. 

The  cutworm  and  boll -worm — the  latter  is  identical 
with  the  cotton -boll  worm — and  the  corn -worm  which 
attacks  the  green  ears  of  corn,  also  attack  the  tomato. 
The  first  has  already  been  discussed.  The  latter  cannot 
be  reached  after  it  enters  the  fruit.  It  is  wise,  however, 
to  destroy  all  infested  fruit,  to  prevent  the  development 
of  the  larva  into  the  mature  insect,  its  parent. 

Tomatoes  should  not  be  allowed  to  become  thoroughly 
ripe  on  the  vines,  but  should  be  gathered  as  soon  as 
they  begin  to  change  color  and  stored  on  shelves  in  the 
shade  to  ripen,  the  specimens  not  touching.  This  is 
especially  important  if  the  vines  trail  on  the  ground, 
since,  if  the  weather  is  moist,  those  touching  the  ground 
often  rot  as  soon  as  ripening  commences. 


List    of   Good    Varieties   of   Tomato  169 

Before  frost  kills  the  vines,  gather  all  specimens  that 
are  grown  or  nearly  so  and  store  for  ripening;  spread  as 
already  directed.  By  this  means  the  season  may  be  pro- 
longed into  January.  I  had  them  until  February  last 
winter. 

There  is  no  vegetable  that  has  been  more  wonderfully 
developed  in  its  varietal  types  than  the  tomato  in  the 
last  fifty  years.  It  has  not  only  been  perfected  in  form, 
but  in  quality  as  well. 

The  Stone  is  probably  the  favorite  with  truckers, 
shippers  and  gardeners.  This  is  a  beautiful,  smooth  red 
tomato  above  medium  in  size,— indeed,  sufficiently  large 
to  suit  the  home -garden  or  the  market. 

Crimson  CusMon,  a  more  recent  introduction,  is  globu- 
lar in  form  and  hence  involves  little  waste  in  slicing. 

Matchless  was  for  a  number  of  years  the  most  popular, 
but  is  now  largely  superseded  by  the  Stone.  I  planted 
Matchless  for  ten  years,  and  found  it  satisfactory  for 
both  home  use  and  for  market. 

Tomatoes  vary  as  much  in  flavor  as  peaches.  Amne 
and  Golden  Queen,  a  yellow  variety,  were  classed  "best" 
in  a  very  careful  test  of  a  large  number  of  varieties  at 
the  Alabama  Experiment  Station  some  years  ago. 
Livingston,  Paragon,  Perfection  and  Beauty,  somewhat 
smaller  than  the  foregoing,  are  all  choice  varieties. 

Ponderosa  produces  the  largest  fruit,  but  is  objection- 
able on  account  of  the  number  of  irregular  and  wrinkled 
specimens. 

Pear-shaped  Yellow,  a  small  variety,  is  very  prolific, 
superior  in  flavor  and  excellent  for  preserving  and 
pickling. 


170         Southern    Gardener^ s    Practical    Manual 

New  varieties  are  constantly  being  advertised  in  seeds- 
men's catalogues,  but  a  selection  of  the  above  list 
should  satisf}'  the  most  fastidious. 

The  tomato  is  both  vegetable  and  fruit,  and  in  the 
latter  role  rivals  the  cantaloupe  as  a  breakfast  relish.  It 
figures  in  catsups,  pickles,  preserves,  soups,  sauces  and 
canned  goods,  besides  being  cooked  in  a  variety  of  ways. 

There  is  no  reason  why  any  southern  gardener  should 
buy  tomato  seed.  Select  the  best  perfectly  formed  early 
specimens  from  a  vigorous -growing  and  prolific  vine. 
Allow  them  to  remain  on  the  vine  until  thoroughlj- 
ripe.  Wash  the  seed  and,  when  dry,  store  in  envelopes 
or  paper  bags;  or,  spread  upon  thin  cloth  without  wash- 
ing. Let  them  dry  on  the  cloth  and  remain  there  until 
needed  to  plant. 

TURNIPS 

This  is  a  hardy  biennial  of  the  cabbage  family  and 
one  of  the  easiest  of  the  garden  vegetables  to  grow. 
While  the  climate  of  the  southei'u  states  is  not  well 
adapted  to  the  turnip  on  account  of  the  dry  fall  weather, 
if  properly  planted  on  fertile  soil  that  has  been  thor- 
oughly and  deeply  prepared  and  well  supplied  with 
humus,  success  is  easily  attained.  A  deep,  rich  sandy 
loam  is  best  adapted  to  it. 

Open  deep  furrows  two  feet  apart,  and  apply  acid 
phosphate  in  the  bottom  of  these  at  the  rate  of  500 
pounds  per  acre.  Bed  on  this  with  scooter  plows,  making 
a  flat  bed.  Harrow  or  rake  these  until  they  are  smooth. 
Do  this  for  the  rutabaga  in  June.  If  the  soil  is  dry, 
open  a  farrow  in  each  bed,  sow  the  seed  in  the  bottom 


Beni    Kinds    of   Turnij)  for    the   South  171 

of  this  furrow,  and  run  a  wheelbarrow  upon  the 
seed.  This  ''firms"  the  soil  on  the  seed  and  sifts  fine 
soil  behind  the  wheel  upon  the  seed.  The  seed  will  find 
enough  moisture  at  the  bottom  to  supply  that  necessary 
for  germination  and  is  protected  from  excessive  heat.  It 
is  often  very  difficult  to  secure  a  stand  if  sown  in  the 
usual  way  in  dry  seasons.  I  have  used  the  wheelbarrow 
upon  the  seed  in  the  furrow  for  twenty  years,  and  have 
never  failed  to  secure  a  stand,  no  matter  how  dr^'  the 
soil  was.  If  the  soil  is  quite  moist,  the  wheelbarrow 
should  not  be  used.  Sow  rutabagas  in  July  and  August, 
and  the  rough -leaved  kinds  in  August  and  September. 
A  cheap  way  to  grow  salad  for  winter  is  to  sow  the  seed 
in  August  in  corn  that  has  been  cultivated  clean,  and 
simply  rake  them  lightly  in  with  the  garden  rake.  The 
partial  shade  afforded  by  the  corn  facilitates  the  germi- 
nation of  the  seed.  The  old  Sovfhern  Sevenfop,  now  sold 
under  the  name  of  Sonthern  Prize,  is  best  for  this  pur- 
pose. The  Seventop  sold  by  northern  seedsmen  is  not 
worth  sowing.  This  Southern  Prize  sown  in  drills  in 
June  and  thinned,  like  rutabagas,  to  one  foot  in  the 
drill,  produces  roots  of  immense  size.  A  few  plants 
having  multiple  tops  should  be  transplanted  and  kept 
to  produce  seed.  The  varieties  grown  for  the  roots  will 
usually  give  more  satisfactory  results  from  seed  grown 
further  north,  but  if  salad  is  the  principal  object, 
home-grown  seed  is  to  be  preferred. 

The  turnip,  being  a  biennial  plant,  stores  up  food  the 
first  year  in  the  root  to  produce  the  seed -stalk  the  next 
spring.  The  roots,  therefore,  can  be  saved  through  the 
winter  and  transplanted  to   some  convenient    spot    for 


172         Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

growing  the  seed.  The  substance  of  the  root  is  con- 
sumed in  producing  the  seed,  and  only  the  shell  of  the 
old  turnip  is  left.  The  seed -stalks  should  be  supported 
by  stakes,  to  which  they  may  be  tied  with  a  soft  cord. 
I  have  found  the  germinating  qualities  of  home-grown 
seed  superior  to  those  of  the  purchased  seed. 

Varieties. —  Milan  Strap -leaf  is  the  earliest  variety  I 
have  planted.  It  has  small  top -growth,  the  turnip  is 
fiat,  and  grows  on  the  surface  of  the  ground.  The  part 
showing  above  is  purple,  while  the  lower  part  is  white. 

Flat  Butch  is  another  very  early,  flat  and  delicate 
variety  of  fifty  years'  standing. 

Purple  Top  Globe. — This  is  probably  the  most 
satisfactory  as  a  medium -early,  heavy -producing 
variety.  I  have  grown  of  this  variety  twenty- two  two- 
horse  wagon -loads  per  acre  on  ordinary  land  three  years 
in  cultivation.  It  has  a  beautiful  top -shape,  with  deep 
purple  above  and  white  below  the  surface. 

White  Globe  is  an  excellent  variety,  but  not  so 
popular  as  the  latter.  This  is  white  within  and  without. 
Flavor  good. 

White  Egg  is  similar  to  the  last,  but  earlier  and  not 
so  large  and  superior  in  quality. 

Yellow  Aberdeen. — This  is  one  of  the  best,  and  most 
productive  varieties  of  best  quality. 

To  test  the  quality  of  varieties,  I  had  six  cooked  alike 
and  placed  on  my  table  together.  The  members  of  the 
family  tasted  all,  but  ate  the  Aberdeen.  It  is  purple  on 
top,  with  a  rich  yellow  below.  The  flesh  is  yellow, 
tender  and  sweet.  Left  in  the  row  all  winter,  it  keeps 
well  and  is  the  last  to  run  to  seed  in  spring.   It  combines 


Cultivation   of  the    Turnip  —  Riitahag as         173 

more  good  qualities  than  any  other  variety  I  have 
cultivated.  There  are  other  varieties  worthy  of  cultiva- 
tion and  advertised  in  the  catalogues,  but  those  men- 
tioned should  satisfy  the  most  fastidious. 

Turnips  require  little  nitrogen,  but  a  liberal  supply 
of  phosphoric  acid  and  potash.  The  most  serious  mis- 
take made  by  most  gardeners  is  failure  to  thin  the 
plants  early.  They  should  not  stand  nearer  than  eight 
or  ten  inches  in  the  row. 

Cultivation  should  commence  as  soon  as  the  plants 
show  well  along  the  row  and  be  continued  after  each 
rain,  to  retain  the  moisture  so  much  needed  and  generally 
deficient  during  their  season  of  growth. 

RUTABAGAS 

These  are  quite  distinct  from  the  rough -leaved  varie- 
ties. The  leaves  resemble  somewhat  in  appearance  the 
Georgia  collard.  They  produce  large  and  abundant 
foliage  which,  when  young,  makes  a  rich  boiled  salad. 
They  resemble  the  Yellow  Aberdeen  in  external  color, 
but  are  of  a  deeper  yellow  inside.  They  keep  where  they 
grow  during  our  severest  winters,  but  are  fresher  and 
more  brittle  if  banked  like  sweet  potatoes  at  the 
approach  of  severe  freezing  weather.  They  may  remain 
in  the  row  until  the  middle  of  November.  Before  bank- 
ing, the  tops  should  be  cut  below  the  bud  to  prevent 
starting  into  growth  in  the  bank.  They  need  no  straw, 
but  simply  a  thick  covering  of  soil. 

The  rutabagas  require  more  room  in  the  row  than  the 
rough -leaved  varieties.     Experiment  has  demonstrated 


174         Southern    Garde7ier\s    Practical   Manual 

that  twelve  inches  in  the  row  gives  the  heaviest  yield  of 
large  roots.  One  ponnd  properly  sown  in  drills  will  be 
sufficient  for  an  acre.  If  broadcast,  twice  as  much  seed 
is  required.    Sow  seed  in  July  and  August. 

It  is  of  great  importance  to  secure  a  well-bred  seed 
of  the  rutabagas.  Inferior  seed  produces  a  long,  woody 
neck  between  the  bud  and  root. 

Bloomsdale  Purple  Top  has  given  entire  satisfaction 
for  many  years.  It  makes  large  roots  of  excellent 
quality. 

Bon  Air,  advertised  by  Alexander  Seed  Company, 
Augusta,  Ga.,  is  the  favorite  with  those  who  have 
grown  it. 

There  are  few  other  plants  all  parts  of  which  are 
edible.  The  leaves  are  highly  prized  as  a  boiled  salad, 
while  the  roots  are  cooked  in  a  great  variety  of  ways. 
Some  object  to  the  decided  turnip  taste.  The  most 
delicate  dish  made  from  turnips  is  prepared  by  boiling 
the  roots,  after  slicing  them,  until  thoroughly  done, 
passing  them  through  a  colander  and  seasoning  with  a 
little  butter,  cream,  salt  and  pepper,  and  stewing  until 
the  cream  and  butter  disappear  by  absorption  in  the 
turnips.  The  boiled  salad  is  considered  very  wholesome, 
especially  the  fresh,  tender  growth  in  early  spring. 

In  England,  turnips  are  planted  for  sheep,  which  are 
corraled  on  them  at  night  in  a  portion  of  the  field 
divided  off  by  a  movable  fence.  The  sheep  devour  both 
tops  and  roots,  and  enrich  the  land  while  consuming  the 
crop. 


PART    III 

SMALL    FRUITS 

Grapes,  strawberries  and  raspberries  should  have  a 
pUice  in  every  southern  garden,  and  the  currant  and 
gooseberry  in  the  elevated  or  mountain  regions.  The  fig 
should  have  a  place  in  all  gardens  in  the  middle  and 
lower  cotton  belt. 

THE    GRAPE 

This  is  one  of  the  most  satisfactory,  most  wholesome, 
most  easily  grown  and  most  certain  of  our  southern 
fruits. 

In  fifty  years  of  observation  in  different  parts  of  the 
South,  I  have  known  the  destruction  of  but  one  crop 
by  frost.  A  full  crop  may  be  gathered  the  third  year 
after  planting,  and  the  vines,  under  intelligent  treat- 
ment, will  continue  in  profitable  bearing  for  twentj^ 
years. 

There  are  two  general  types  of  grapes  in  cultivation 
in  the  South  —  one  derived  from  the  northern  fox -grape 
and  the  other  from  the  southern  fox -grape,  or  musca- 
dine. These  require  different  treatment  in  pruning  and 
training.  A  large  majority  of  our  cultivated  varieties 
belong  to  the  Labrusca  type  and  its  hyhrids,  represented 
by  Concord,  Delaware,  Agawam,  etc.    While  we  cultivate 

(175) 


176         Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Manual 

some  excellent  varieties  of  the  ^stivalis  and  Riparia 
types,  their  number  is  small  compared  with  that  of 
Labrusca  and  Labrusca  seedlings  and  hybrids.  The 
Yinifera,  or  European  wine -grape,  is  not  adapted  to 
any  part  of  the  United  States  this  side  of  the  Rocky 
mountains. 

No  home  is  complete  without  a  few  well -cared -for 
grape-vines.  They  may  be  used  as  a  summer  shade 
around  the  porches,  or  they  may  be  planted  in  the 
garden,  or  in  a  lot  to  themselves,  but  not  in  connec- 
tion with  fruit  trees,  since  the  proximity  of  trees  en- 
courages the  depredations  of  the  birds.  Varieties  have 
been  sufficiently  experimented  with  to  determine  those 
best  adapted  to  the  South.  No  mistake  need  be  made, 
therefore,  in  the  selection  of  varieties.  The  standard 
varieties  will  grow  successfully  on  almost  any  fertile 
soil  which  has  proper  drainage. 

Grapes  are  generally  propagated  by  cuttings  if  a  con- 
siderable number  of  vines  are  to  be  grown.  If  only  a 
few  are  desired,  layering  is  the  simplest  and  surest 
method. 

The  Botundifolia  type,  and  some  of  the  varieties  of 
other  types  that  are  not  so  easily  grown  from  cuttings, 
may  be  readily  grown  from  layers.  This  maybe  done  at 
any  season  of  the  year,  but  fall  and  spring  are  preferred. 

Open  a  trench  a  few  inches  deep  in  the  line  of  the 
row.  In  this  place  put  a  vigorous  cane  of  the  previous 
season's  growth,  and  confine  it  with  wooden  pegs. 
Shoots  will  put  forth  at  each  joint.  When  these  attain 
a  length  of  eight  or  ten  inches,  fill  the  trench  with  good 
soil  and  pack  it  well  about  the  young  shoots.    During 


How   to    Grow    Grapes  from    Cuttings  111 

the  growing  season,  roots  will  put  forth  at  the  base  of 
the  young  shoots  which  will  be  ready  to  be  transplanted 
the  next  fall.  There  will  usually  be  about  half  as  many 
plants  as  the  layer  has  joints.  The  end  of  the  layered 
cane  should  be  left  uncovered.  "In  order  to  hasten  the 
formation  of  roots,  a  tongue  about  an  inch  long  and 
one-sixteenth  of  an  inch  thick  is  cut  at  every  joint,  on 
the  opposite  side  from  the  bud.  This  insures  the  forma- 
tion of  roots  at  every  joint  and  causes  a  more  uniform 
growth  of  the  shoots"  (Bulletin  58,  South  Carolina 
Experiment  Station). 

Cuttings. —  These  are  taken  from  vigorous  short- 
jointed  canes  of  the  growth  of  the  season  next  preced- 
ing. Cut  half  an  inch  below  the  lower  bud  and  an  inch 
above  the  upper,  making  each  cutting  eight  to  ten  inches 
in  length.  In  November,  with  a  plow,  open  a  smooth 
furrow  in  a  rich,  loamy  soil  as  deep  as  the  cuttings  are 
long,  and  place  the  cuttings  carefully  against  one  side  of 
this  furrow,  four  to  six  inches  apart,  using  care  to  have 
the  buds  point  upward.  Fill  the  trench  half  full  of  loose 
soil,  and  pack  this  carefully  and  firmly  against  the  cut- 
tings. Fill  the  trench  so  that  the  top  bud  of  the  cuttings 
will  be  half  an  inch  below  the  surface.  If  properly 
planted,  90  per  cent  of  the  cuttings  will  produce  plants. 
Allow  only  one  shoot  to  grow  from  each  cutting.  If 
planted  in  large  numbers  the  rows  of  cuttings  should 
be  four  feet  apart,  to  admit  of  cultivation  with  the  plow 
during  the  growing  season.  If  only  a  small  number 
is  planted  any  rich  border  will  answer,  but  clean  cul- 
ture should  be  practiced  throughout  the  growing 
season. 


178         Southern    Gardener's    Practical    Manual 

PLANTING    THE     VINEYARD 

After  the  cuttings  have  made  one  year's  growth,  they 
will  be  ready  to  be  transplanted  into  the  vineyard.  Open 
deep  farrows  with  the  turn -plow  ten  feet  apart,  and 
half -fill  them  with  well -rotted  manure.  On  this  apply 
acid  phosphate  at  the  rate  of  600  pounds  per  acre  and 
kainit  at  the  rate  of  400  pounds  per  acre.  Mix  all  of 
this  with  the  soil,  and  subsoil  with  a  narrow  plow  run 
as  deeply  as  possible,  running  the  last  furrows  on  each 
side  to  cover  the  fertilizer  with  soil.  At  intervals  of 
eight  feet  along  these  rows  open  holes  eighteen  inches 
deep  and  two  feet  in  diameter.  In  the  bottom  of  each 
of  these  holes  place  a  half- peck  of  bones  broken  into 
small  pieces  with  an  axe,  and  cover  these  with  the 
mixed  soil  and  fertilizer,  raising  the  furrow  a  little 
higher  in  the  center  than   around  the  sides. 

Prepare  the  vines  by  cutting  back  the  roots  to  a 
length  of  twelve  inches  and  the  cane  to  two  joints  or 
eyes.  Spread  the  roots  uniformly,  cover  with  three 
inches  of  soil  and  pack  firmly  with  the  feet.  If  sets  of 
roots  have  put  forth  from  two  joints  of  the  cutting,  use 
only  those  from  the  upper  joint.  Set  the  plant  an  inch 
deeper  than  it  stood  in  the  nursery  row,  covering  the 
soil  packed  upon  the  roots  with  pulverized  soil. 
November  is  the  best  month  for  planting.  Drive  a  stout 
stake  by  each  vine  in  the  line  of  the  row  to  mark  the 
plant,  and,  after  the  new  shoots  have  grown  a  foot  in 
the  spring,  select  the  strongest  and  tie  to  the  stake  with 
a  soft  string,  removing  all  other  shoots.  Plant  two  rows 
of  some  bunch  variety  of  cow -peas  between  the  rows  of 


Training   and    Treating    the    Grape  179 

vines,  and  cultivate  the  whole  space  throughout  the 
growing  season.  Gather  the  peas  in  the  fall,  but  leave 
the  vines  on  the  land.  In  November,  set  strong  posts  of 
some  durable  timber  or  wood  painted  with  tar  or  carbo- 
linium  at  intervals  of  sixteen  feet,  placing  the  end  posts 
four  feet  outside  of  the  first  vine  and  the  others  in  alter- 
nate spaces  between  the  vines.  The  posts  should  be  six 
feet  long  and  set  two  feet  in  the  ground;  stretch  tightly 
two  barbed  wires  along  these  posts,  one  two  feet  from 
the  ground  and  the  other  two  inches  below  the  top  of  the 
posts.  I  prefer  barbed  to  smooth  wire,  because  the  barbs 
prevent  the  strings  with  which  the  vines  are  tied  from 
slipping  along  the  wire  and  thus  interfering  with  the 
position  of  the  canes  when  properly  trained.  The  posts 
and  wires  being  in  i)lace,  tie  the  single  cane  of  each  vine 
to  the  lower  wire  and  cut  off  the  vine  even  with  the 
wire. 

TREATMENT    THE    SECOND     YEAR 

In  February  sow  broadcast  600  pounds  of  acid  phos- 
phate and  200  pounds  of  kainit  per  acre,  and  plow  them 
in  between  the  rows  of  vines.  Cultivate  shallow  to  keep 
down  grass  and  weeds,  and  in  May  plant  two  row^s  of  a 
bunch  variety  of  peas  between  the  rows. 

Allow  three  shoots  to  grow  from  the  top  of  the  cane. 
Train  two  of  these  on  the  lower  wire,  and  tie  the  third 
in  a  vertical  position  to  the  top  wire.  A  single  bunch 
of  grapes  may  be  allowed  to  grow  upon  each  of  these 
shoots. 

In  November,  cut  back  the  canes  trained  to  the  lower 
wire  to  four  feet  if  the  vines  are  of  the    long-jointed, 


180 


Southern    Gardeners   Practical   Manual 


vigorous  growers,  such  as  Concord  and  Niagara,  or  tc 
two  feet  if  a  short-jointed  variety,  like  the  Delaware,  is 
used.     Cut  the  vertical  cane  even  with  the  top  wire. 


"^" 

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Fig.  17.     Four-arm  spur  system,  uuL  pruued. 
T5^^    THIRD    YEAR 

Fertilize  and  plant  peas  as  directed  for  the  second 
year.  Rub  off  all  shoots  from  the  vertical  cane  except 
two  at  the  top,  and  train  these  in  opposite  directions 
along  the  wire.  Allow  a  strong  shoot  to  grow  from 
each  joint  of  the  canes  trained  to  the  lower  wire,  and 
when  long  enough  tie  to  the  top  wire.    While  doing 


The   Proper    Way    to    Frtme    Grape    Vines       181 

this,  rub  oif  all  weak  shoots  and  remove  small  bunches 
of  grapes  to  concentrate  the  strength  of  the  vine  into  the 
strong  shoots  and  larger  bunches.    There  will  usually  be 


r-'rr- » ' >- -*■ — "--tgr — 


Fig.  18.     Four-arm  spur  system,  pruned. 

three  bunches  of  grapes  upon  each  strong  shoot.  In 
November,  cut  back  or  "  spur  "  all  of  the  shoots  from  the 
two  canes  on  the  lower  wire  to  one  or  two  ej^es,  and 
shorten  those  on  the  upper  wire  to  the  same  length  as 
the  canes  trained  on  the  lower.  This  treatment  maj'  be 
repeated  annually  until  the  spurs  on  the  canes  become 
too  long,  when  one  of  these  may  be  cut  out  each  year, 
leaving  a  strong  new  cane  to  take  its  place.    Thus  in 


182         Southern    Gardener\s    Practical    Manual 


Fig.  19.     Spiral  system,  before  pruning. 


four  3'ears  all  of  the  old  canes  will  be  renewed  by  fresh 
ones. 

A  new  method  of  pruning,  known  as  the  spiral  system 
(Figs.  19  and  20),  is  very  satisfactory  and  should  be 
employed  when  the  trellis  system  cannot  be  used. 

Varieties. — The  following  standard  varieties,  which 
have   stood  the    test   of  careful    experiment   for   many 


Spiral    System    of   Training    Grapes 


183 


years,  will  furnish  grapes  of  good  quality  from  the  last 
of  June  to  late  in  September,  and  the  season  may  be 
extended  late  into  October  by  bagging  the  Ives,  Goethe 
and  Norton,  While  there  are  many  other  varieties  which 
have  been  successfully  grown  in  different  parts  of  the 
South,  the  following  list  of  varieties  is  recommended  for 
the    home 'garden:   Early    Ohio,  Moore's    Early,  Lutie, 


¥m 

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^m 

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Pig.  20.     Spiral  system,  after  pruniui 


184 


Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 


Delaware,  Brighton,  Niagara,  Concord,  Agawam,  Ives, 
Lindley,  Catawba,  Goethe,  Norton's  Virginia  and  Bril- 
liant. 

While  the  Ives  is  one  of  our  most  reliable  and  pro- 
ductive varieties,  it  turns  black  some  two  weeks  before 
it  is  ripe  and  is  generally  gathered  green  for  this  reason, 
while  if  bagged  and  kept  until  thoroughly  ripe  it  is  of 
very  fine  flavor.  The  grapes  are  not  salable  if  gathered 
as  soon  as  they  appear  from  their  color  to  be  ripe,  nor 
are  they  then  edible.  I  have  sold  them  readily  at  ten 
cents  per  pound  out  of  bags  in  September.  The  Goethe, 
a  grape  of  great  merit,  ripens  irregularly  on  the  bunch  if 
not  bagged,  while  it  is  one  of  our  most  delicious  varieties 
if  protected  by  bags  until  all  of  the  berries  ripen. 

The  following  extract  from  Bulletin  58,  South  Caro- 
lina Experiment  Station,  will  be  of  interest  to  those  who 
may  desire  to  plant  a  larger  number  of  varieties. 

The   following   varieties    are   well    adapted    to   this 


section 


Moore's  Early  Perkins 

Early  Ohio  Delaware 
Champion 

Concord  Agawam 
Ives  Lutie 
Wilder  Lindley 
I    Merrimac  Berekmans 
I  Carman  Salem 
T                             /  Norton's  Virginia 
t  Ives  (when  bagged) 


Early    .  .    . 


Medium     . 


WHITE  OR  YELLOW 

Diamond 

Niagara 
Elvira 
Empire  State 


Goethe 


TffU    KOTUNDIFOLIA,    OB    MUSCADINE    TYPE 


These  grapes  are  classified  as  the  southern  fox-grape 
tj^pe,  and  often  named  —  from  one  of  its  most  popular 


Trellises    Much    Better    Than    Arbors  185 

varieties — the  Scuppernong.  They  require  entirely  dif- 
ferent treatment  from  those  of  the  northern  fox -grape 
type  in  many  respects,  such  as  propagation,  training 
and  pruning.  Nurserymen  have  misled  growers  by  stat- 
ing that  they  cannot  be  pruned  or  grown  from  cuttings, 
both  of  which  statements  are  erroneous.  It  is  true  that 
they  do  not  grow  so  readily  from  cuttings  as  varieties  of 
the  other  type,  but  long  cuttings  taken  soon  after  the 
leaves  are  shed,  grow  quite  readily.  Within  a  hundred 
yards  of  where  I  now  write  there  are  many  vines  which 
I  propagated  from  cuttings.  The  mistake  in  regard  to 
growing  them  from  cuttings  is  based  upon  ignorance  of 
the  proper  season  for  pruning  them. 

They  should  be  pruned  as  soon  as  the  leaves  fall.  If 
pruned  later,  they  "bleed"  very  injuriously,  while  no 
injury  results  from  pruning  at  the  proper  season.  It  has 
been  customary,  ever  since  the  discovery  of  the  Scupper- 
nong  variety  in  North  Carolina,  to  train  all  varieties  of 
this  type  on  arbors,  and  yet  there  are  very  serious 
objections  to  this  method.    Amongst  these  are: 

(a)  Difficulty  in  gathering  the  grapes. 

(b)  Difficulty  in  repairing  the  arbors. 

(c)  The  necessity  for  adding  to  the  arbors  annually. 

(d)  The  vines  become  matted  toward  the  center  of 

the  arbor  and  cease  bearing  except  around 
the  edges. 

(e)  No  cultivation  can  be  given  the  vines. 

I  much  prefer  training  the  vines  on  a  trellis,  for  the 
following  reasons: 

(a)  The  facility  with  which  they  may  be  pruned. 


186         Southern    Oardener  s    Practical    Manval 

(h)   The    facility    with    which    the    fruit    can    be 
gathered. 

(c)  The    increased     productiveness    and     superior 

qualit}'  of  the  fruit. 

(d)  The  exposure  of  all  parts  of  the  vine  to  air  and 

sunlight. 

ie)   The  facility  afforded  for  cultivation. 

(/)   The  economy  of  the  trellis  compared  with  the 
arbor. 

(g)  The  comparative  ease  with  which  the  trellis  can 
be  repaired  when  necessary. 
Constructing  the  Trellis. —  The  posts  for  the  trellis 
should  be  of  hlacl-  locust,  if  available,  as  these  will  last 
for  fifty  years.  If  these  are  not  available  and  more 
perishable  timber  must  be  applied,  the  wood -preserver, 
Carbolinium,  should  be  used  over  the  entire  post.  This 
vastly  increases  the  durability  of  the  timber  at  small 
cost.  The  posts  should  be  six  inches  square  and  nine 
feet  long.  Set  them  three  feet  in  the  ground,  leaving  six 
feet  for  the  trellis.  On  these  fasten  securely  three  wires, 
—  the  first  two  feet  from  the  ground,  the  second  two 
feet  above  this  and  the  third  two  inches  below  the 
top  of  the  posts.  Set  the  posts  sixteen  feet  apart,  and 
plant  the  vines  thirty  feet  apart.  Select  good,  vigorous 
canes  as  the  vines  grow,  and  train  two  in  opposite 
directions  on  each  wire.  Let  these  canes  continue  their 
growth  lengthwise  along  the  wires.  As  suitable  laterals 
appear  on  the  bottom  pair  of  canes,  train  one  evei-y 
three  feet  vertically  to  the  top  wire.  Spur  back  all 
other  laterals,  as  soon  after  the  leaves  are  shed  in  the 
fall  as  practicable,  to  six  to  eight  buds  each.    Treat  the 


Best    Kinds    of   Grapes  for    the    South 


187 


laterals  ou  the  vertical  canes  in  the  same  way.  The 
pruning  must  be  confined  to  the  season  mentioned,  or 
the  vines  will  be  injured  by  "bleeding."  This  process 
must  be  repeated  annually.  The  effect  of  this  pruning 
is  similar  to  that  on  the  bunch  grape,  increasing  size 
of  both   bunches  and  berries. 

Varieties.  —  I  have  cultivated  eight  varieties  of 
this  tj^pe  of  grapes  on  trellis,  with  most 'satisfactory 
results.  All  of  these  were  black  except  the  Scupper- 
nong.    So  far  as  known,  all  seedlings  of  this  are  black. 


w 

^ 

1 

tm^rm 

1 

H^ 

fm, 

^ 

II.     James  lirapes  (fcjcupperuoug  type), 


188         Southern    Gardener^s    'Practical   Manual 

The  varieties  are,  in  the  order  of  ripening  :  Thomas, 
Memory,  James,  Mish,  Scuppernong,  Scuppernong  Seed- 
ling, Tenderpnlp  and  Fowers. 

Several  of  these  varieties  are  superior  to  the  Scupper- 
nong in  quality,  with  the  additional  merit  of  producing 
larger  clusters,  without  the  objectionable  habit  of  shed- 
ding as  fast  as  ripe.  This  is  especially  true  of  the 
Memory  and  Mish. 

The  two  lists  of  varieties  recommended  for  the  home 
garden,  together  with  these,  will  afford  a  continuous 
supply  of  delicious  fruit  from  the  first  of  July  to  the 
first  of  November. 

The  Rotundifolia  type  of  grapes,  adapted  to  every 
part  of  the  South,  is  not  usually  damaged  by  fungous 
diseases,  nor  is  it  seriously  attacked  by  birds. 

Protection  from  Birds  and  Fungous  Diseases. — ^^ Bag- 
ging Grapes. ^^ — This  is  done  to  protect  them  from  the 
birds,  insects  and  fungous  diseases  and  also  to  prolong 
the  ripening  period. 

The  Ives  will  keep  perfectly  sound  in  bags  until  late 
in  October,  and  the  Norton's  Virginia  will  keep  in  per- 
fect condition  from  three  weeks  to  a  month  longer. 

We  bagged  many  varieties  of  grapes  this  year,  and 
find  that  some  varieties  are  benefited  by  bags  more  than 
others.  Birds  are  more  troublesome  to  black  and  red 
varieties  of  grapes  than  they  are  to  the  white.  This 
year  we  bagged  about  half  of  our  Delawares,  and  fully 
90  per  cent  of  those  not  bagged  were  destroyed  by 
birds,  while  those  in  the  bags  were  in  perfect  condition. 
The  Ives,  Concord  and  Norton's  Virginia  that  were  not 
bagged  were  badly  damaged  by  birds,  while  the  Perkins, 


Protection  from    Birds   and   Diseases  ]89 

Niagara  and  Goethe  were  damaged  very  little.  Grapes 
planted  in  an  orchard  or  near  trees  and  hedges  are 
always  damaged  more  by  birds  than  those  planted  off  to 
themselves.  The  bags  are  put  over  the  bunches  of 
grapes  as  soon  as  the  fruit  is  set  or  when  the  grapes  are 
the  size  of  small  shot. 

Three -pound  bags  are  used  for  the  large -bunch 
varieties,  such  as  the  Concord  and  Niagara,  and  two- 
pound  bags  are  used  for  the  smaller -bunch  varieties,  like 
the  Delaware.  The  bag  is  slipped  over  the  bunch  of 
grapes  and  the  corners  folded  close  about  the  stem  and 
pinned.  Bagging  is  very  simple  and  inexpensive,  the 
bags  costing  from  sixty  to  seventy  cents  per  thousand, 
and  the  pins  about  ten  cents  per  thousand.  A  man 
or  boy  with  a  little  experience  can  put  on  from  fifteen  to 
eighteen  hundred  bags  in  a  day,  so  the  total  cost  of 
bagging  a  thousand  bunches  of  grapes  would  not  exceed 
one  dollar  and  thirty  cents.  The  grapes  in  bags  ripen 
more  uniformly,  and  always  present  a  much  more  showy 
appearance  than  those  not  bagged. 

Bagging  will  always  prevent  the  grapes  from  rotting 
to  some  extent,  but  will  not  do  away  with  the  necessity 
of  spraying  when  the  variety  bagged  is  subject  to  rot  to 
a  very  great  extent. 

Spraying. — "  We  have  conducted  experiments  in  spray- 
ing various  varieties  of  grapes  to  prevent  the  fruit  and 
leaves  being  destroyed  by  fungous  diseases.  The  first 
spraying  was  done  just  before  the  buds  began  to  swell 
in  the  spring  and  the  second  application  was  made  a  few 
days  before  the  vines  began  to  bloom.  The  third  appli- 
cation was  made  as  soon  as  the  fruit  was  set,  the  grapes 


190         Southern    Gardfners    Practical    Manual 

being  the  size  of  squirrel  shot.  The  fourth  spraying  was 
done  three  weeks  after  the  third.  Some  vines  were 
sprayed  only  once,  and  others  two,  three,  four  and  five 
times. 

"  The  benefit  of  the  spraying  increased  with  the  number 
of  applications  made  up  to  the  fourth,  but  we  could  see 
no  advantage  in  the  fifth  application  except  in  the  late- 
rii)ening  varieties.  The  most  marked  benefit  in  spraying 
varieties  was  with  the  Delaware.  The  unsprayed  vines 
lost  all  their  leaves  by  the  middle  of  June  and  all  the 
fruit  dried  upon  the  vines  before  ripening. 

"Not  one  bunch  of  Delaware  grapes  ripened  on  an  un- 
sprayed vine,  while  the  sprayed  vines  on  the  next  row 
retained  all  their  leaves  and  the  fruit  ripened  beautifully. 

"The  Bordeaux  mixture  used  in  spraying  the  vines  was 
made  by  the  following  formula:  Six  pounds  caustic  lime, 
four  pounds  bluestone  (copper  sulphate),  fifty  gallons 
water. 

"The  bluestone  is  dissolved  by  putting  it  into  a  cloth 
sack  and  hanging  this  in  a  barrel  containing  twenty-five 
gallons  of  water.  Slake  the  lime  in  another  vessel,  and 
add  twenty -five  gallons  of  water  to  it.  The  lime  and 
blue-stone  solutions  are  then  mixed  by  pouring  them 
slowly  together  into  another  barrel,  stirring  well  as  the 
two  solutions  are  mixed. 

Hotv  to  ^/7ra?/. —"Thoroughness  is  the  secret  of  suc- 
cess in  spraying. 

"In  spraying  the  grapes,  one  man  drives  and  does  the 
pumping,  w^hile  two  men,  one  on  each  side  of  the  wagon, 
do  the  spraying.  In  this  way  two  rows  of  grapes  can  be 
sprayed  at  the  same  time. 


Figs:    A    Good    Frnit  for    fhr    Sotdh  191 

"The  Bordeaux  is  forced  through  a  nozzle  which 
throws  a  very  fine  spraj-  or  mist.  The  nozzle  should  be 
kept  moving  over  the  vine  and  under  the  leaves  until 
every  part  of  the  vine  has  been  wet  wdth  solution. 
When  the  solution  begins  to  drip  from  the  leaves  very 
much,  the  spray  is  stopped. 

"The  barrel  spray-pump  costs  about  fourteen  dollars, 
and,  when  properly  cared  for,  can  be  used  for  a  number 
of  years.  Hand-pum[)s  can  be  had  for  less  money,  but  if 
there  is  much  spraying  to  be  done  it  will  be  much 
cheaper  and  far  more  satisfactory  to  use  the  barrel- 
pump."    (Bulletin  No.  58,  S.  C.  Experiment  Station.) 


FIGS 


While  this  is  one  of  the  most  easily  grown  and  deli- 
cious of  our  fruits,  and  practicallj'  exempt  from  fungous 
and  insect  enemies,  it  is  rarely  found  about  our  farm 
homes.  The  June -bug  attacks  it  in  the  ripe  stage. 
This  bug,  owing  to  its  fondness  for  the  fig,  is  known 
at  Savannah,  Georgia,  as  "fig-eater,"  pronounced 
"figater." 

The  figs,  when  properly  packed,  will  bear  long-dis- 
tance transportation,  and,  by  shipping  in  strawberry 
baskets  carefully  packed  in  crates,  they  will  keep 
about  as  well  as  berries.  I  have  sold  them  in  Atlanta 
at  seventy-five  cents  per  peck,  and  the  demand  always 
exceeded  the  supply. 

Prop(fg(ffion. —  The  fig  grows  readily  from  cuttings, 
and  there  are  generally  rooted  layers  around  old  trees 
which  can  be   had    for  the   asking.     In    November  the 


192         Southern    Gardener'' s   Practical   Manual 

cuttings  should  be  made  and  set  in  rows  three  feet 
apart  and  ten  inches  apart  in  the  row.  Select  wood  of 
last  season's  growth,  and  make  cuttings  about  ten  inches 
in  length.  The  following  fall  the  trees  will  be  ready  to 
transplant  to  a  permanent  place.  Prune  both  roots  and 
top  severely  before  transplanting.  I  have  grown  them 
for  home  consumption  for  the  last  thirty -eight  years, 
and  only  once  have  had  the  trees  killed,  but  three  or 
four  times  the  first  crop  of  figs  has  been  destroyed  by 
late  frost. 

Enough  for  a  family  supply  may  be  grown  on  a  few 
trees  planted  about  the  lot  in  protected  situations  about 
the  houses. 

The  varieties  usually  cultivated  bear  two  crops  in  a 
season.  The  first  crop  grows  on  the  old  wood  or  wood 
of  the  previous  year's  growth  ;  the  second,  on  the  wood 
of  the  current  season. 

No  pruning  is  necessary  except  the  removal  of  sur- 
plus branches,  which,  if  left,  render  the  tree  too  much 
crowded. 

Varieties. —  I  have  discarded  for  the  hill  country  all 
except  that  commonly  known  as  White  Two  Seasons,  a 
vigorous  grower,  reasonably  hardy  and  a  producer  of 
large  yellow  figs  of  fairly  good  quality,  though  somewhat 
soft  when  ripe.  It  invariably  sets  both  first  and  second 
crops.  It  is  the  earliest  and  most  reliable  variety  I  have 
grown. 

Celestial  is  a  hardy,  vigorous  grower,  and,  while  the 
fruit  is  small,  it  compensates  in  quality  for  its  small 
size.  This  variety  rarely  sets  a  full  first  crop,  but 
invariably  produces  a  large  second  crop.    The  fruit  is 


Varieties   of  Fifjs  —  Straivberries  198 

small,  very  sweet,  not  subject  to  "fig  sour,"  but  dries 
on  the  tree,  becoming  exceedingly  sweet.  I  have  trees 
twenty -four  years  old  that  have  been  killed  down  only 
once.  These  two  varieties  are  the  best  for  the  northern 
part  of  the  cotton  belt.  Celestial,  in  the  list  of  varieties 
of  figs,  bears  the  relation  to  other  varieties  that  the  Seckel 
pear  does  to  other  varieties  of  pears  —  small,  but  best. 

Brown  Turkey  and  Brunsivick  are  the  most  popular 
varieties  further  south.  Both  are  large,  of  good  quality, 
but  late. 

Green  Ischia  is  a  small  late  variety  of  superior 
quality. 

The 'fig  should  not  be  gathered  until  tJioroughly  ripe. 
Ripeness  is  indicated  by  the  softening  of  the  fruit,  the 
changing  of  color  and  the  bending  of  its  stem. 

THE   STRAWBERRY 

No  garden  is  complete  w^ithout  a  patch  of  this 
delicious  fruit,  and  yet,  judged  b}'  this  criterion,  there 
are  numerous  incomplete  gardens  in  the  South. 

The  strawberry  is  a  perennial  plant,  which  propagates 
by  sending  out  runners  on  which  new  plants  are  formed. 
After  these  have  formed  their  own  roots,  they  are  used 
to  make  new  beds.  Since  this  is  a  method  of  propagating 
by  division,  the  new  plants  produce  the  variety  of  the 
parent.  They  may  be  propagated  from  seed,  but  the 
plants  thus  grown  will  not  reproduce  the  variety  of  the 
parent  on  account  of  cross-pollenation  of  the  flowers. 
New  varieties  are  originated  by  planting  the  seed. 
Botanically,   the    strawberry  is  not  a  true  fruit.     The 

M 


194         Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

berry  consists  of  the  enlarged  receptacle,  the  naked  seed 
growing  on  the  outside  of  the  edible  part  instead  of 
inside,  as  in  the  raspberry  and  blackberry.  The  straw- 
berry corresponds  with  the  part  of  the  compound  fruits — 
raspberry  and  blackberry — which  is  left  on  the  bush 
when  we  gather  the  fruit  (the  receptacle).  Some  varie- 
ties of  strawberries  produce  without  stamens,  or  the 
pollen -producing  (male)  organs,  while  others  produce 


B^iG.  22.     Showing  how  Strawberry  plants  are  pruned  before  planting. 

perfect  flowers,  or  those  containing  all  of  the  essential 
organs  of  reproduction.  The  former  are  designated  as 
pistillate  varieties  and  the  latter  as  bisexual.  The  latter 
are  capable  of  producing  fruit  without  the  presence  of 
other  varieties,  while  the  pistillate  varieties  must  be 
alternated  with  the  bisexual  or  they  fail  to  produce.  A 
tree -peddler  offering  to  sell  an  old  lady  a  pistillate 
variety  explained  this  to  her  and  received  the  reply, 
"Well,  for  my  part,  I  don't  want  strawberries  that  have 
to  be  married  before  thev  can  make  berries."    She  did 


Cultivation   of  Strawberries  195 

not  know  that  all  plants  "have  to  be  married"  before 
they  can  produce  fruit  or  seed. 

Soil — Planting — Cultivation.  —  Strawberries  may  be 
successfully  grown  on  any  good  garden  soil,  but  they 
succeed  best  on  a  fertile,  sandy  loam  containing  an 
abundant  supply  of  humus.  This  should  be  deeply  pre- 
pared and  liberally  fertilized  with  thoroughly  rotted 
manure,  phosphoric  acid  and  potash.  If  wood  ashes  are 
available  they  afford  the  best  source  of  potash  and  in  the 
best  form.  There  is  no  danger  of  applying  too  much 
phosphoric  acid  and  potash,  but  an  excess  of  nitrogen 
causes  a  luxuriant  growth  of  vine  at  the  expense  of 
fruitage.  Fresh  stable  manure  should  not  be  used  on 
this  crop  in  the  South. 

In  the  private  garden,  a  very  small  area  will  be  suffi- 
cient to  supply  the  family. 

I  prefer,  if  the  plants  are  to  be  cultivated  with  the 
hoe,  to  plant  two  feet  each  way  and  confine  them  to 
single  crowns.  The  runners  and  the  new  plants  are 
produced  at  the  expense  of  the  parent  plants,  and  this 
tax  on  the  energies  of  the  latter  diminishes  their  capacity 
for  producing  fruit.  The  bloom-buds  are  formed  the 
year  before  they  develop,  and  hence  each  crop  depends 
largely  upon  the  treatment  which  the  plants  receive  the 
year  before.  The  removal  of  the  runners,  therefore,  as 
fast  as  they  form,  will  increase  the  yield  the  next  year. 

If  the  plants  are  to  be  cultivated  with  the  plow,  the 
rows  should  be  three  feet  apart  and  the  plants  set  one 
foot  apart  in  the  rows. 

In  the  South,  the  plants  should  be  transplanted  as 
soon  as  practicable  after  the  season's  growth  ceases — 


196         Sonthfrn    Gardener^s    Practical    Manual 

usually  the  last  of  October  or  earlj-  in  November.  They 
may  be  successfully  planted  at  any  time  while  the  plants 
are  dormant,  but  those  set  early  will  bear  more  fruit  the 
first  year.    The   plants  which  are  formed  in  June  have 


Fig.  23.     The  double  hedge,  or  matted  row  system  of 
growing  Strawberries. 

more  time  for  producing  bloom -buds  and  hence  give  a 
better  yield  the  first  year  than  those  formed  later. 

The  common  practice  of  allowing  the  sets  to  remain 
in  the  line  of  the  rows  forming  what  is  termed  the 
"matted  row"  involves  less  labor  than  cultivating  to 
single  crowns  and  produces  a  larger  number  of  berries, 
but  of  smaller  size  than   the  single  crown  method. 


Fig.  24.     The  single  hedge,  or  narrow  row  system  of 
growing  Strawberries. 

Mulching  is  practiced  further  north  to  protect  the 
plants  from  severe  freezing.  It  is  not  needed  here  for 
that  purpose,  but,  if  applied  early  in  the  spring,  it  pro- 
tects the  berries  from  sand  and  retains  soil  moisture  and 
thus  lessens  the  injury  from  drought.  No  crop  is  bene- 
fited more  by  irrigation  than  the  strawberry. 

A   strawberry  bed   is   not   profitable   after  the   third 


Gathering    Strawhprries  —  Best    Varieties        197 

season,  and  slionld  be  either  plowed  np  soon  after  the 
fruit  has  been  gathered  or  allowed  to  remain  and  pro- 
duce young  sets  for  fall  planting.  I  should  advise 
planting  a  new  bed  every  second  year. 

Cultivation  and  Gathering. —  In  picking,  we  should 
not  take  hold  of  the  berry  at  all,  but  seize  the  stem  just 
below,  and,  unless  the  berry  gives  unmistakable  evidence 
of  ripeness,  twist  the  stem  sufficiently  to  expose  to  view 
the  lower  side  before  plucking  it.  If  the  berry  itself  is 
pulled,  many  will  come  off  without  the  cap,  and  if  there 
is  grit  on  them,  this  will  be  mashed  into  the  surface. 

Clean  and  shallow  cultivation  should  be  practiced 
throughout  the  growing  season  except  while  the  berries 
are  ripening.  Fertilizers  should  be  applied  broadcast 
and  worked  into  the  soil  just  before  the  first  spring 
cultivation  begins.  Under  judicious  management,  the 
beds  may  remain  three  years  before  renewing.  A  light 
crop  is  produced  the  first  year  and  full  crops  the  second 
and  third.  The  runners  may  be  allowed  to  remain  the 
third  year  to  be  used  in  forming  a  new  bed.  To  keep 
up  a  full  supply,  I  have  found  it  a  good  plan  to  keep 
three  plots  —  destroy  an  old  bed  and  plant  a  new  one 
every  year.  Under  this  system  two  beds  are  in  full 
bearing  all  the  time.  ^j- 

Varieties. —  Since  different  varieties  are  adapted  to 
different  soils  and  climatic  conditions,  it  is  not  practi- 
cable to  name  a  list  suitable  to  allsections  of  the  southern 
states.  Selection  may  be  made  from  the  following  list 
suited  to  almost  every  section  of  the  South.  I  have 
found  the  following  varieties  most  satisfactor3^  The 
Excelsior  (B),  the  earliest,  is  an  abundant  producer  of 


198 


Southern    Gardener's   Practiced   Manual 


very  dark  red  berries,  roundish  in  form  and  of  very 
good  quality.  The  principal  objection  I  have  found  to 
it  is  the  shortness  of  the  stems  of  the  earliest  berries. 
It  begins  to  ripen  in  this  latitude  about  the  20th  of 
April,  and  continues  in  bearing  for  about  four  weeks. 
This  should   have  a  place  in  every  collection. 

Hefiin's  Early  {B),  a  new  variety  following  the  Excel- 
sior, is  forging  to  the  front  on  account  of  its  enormous 
size,  its  superior  quality  and  brilliant  color. 

Lady  Thompson  (B)  is  one  of  the  most  popular 
varieties  grown.  It  is  a  heavy  producer,  holds  its  size 
well,  has  long  flower -stalks  and  is  therefore  easily 
picked.  It  comes  in  before  Excelsior  gives  out  and 
continues  long  in  bearing.  It  ripens  all  over  at  once, 
but  the  color,  a  pale  red,  is  objectionable. 

Klondike  (B)  is  a  comparatively  new  variety  which  is 

to  some  extent  supplant- 
ing Lady  Thompson  on 
account  of  its  better  color. 
Hoffman  (B)  has  long 
been  a  favorite  in  the 
coast  region,  but  is  not  so 
satisfactory  in  the  inte- 
rior. It  is  now  claimed  that 
it  has  been  improved  and 
that  the  new  strain  has  su- 
perior shipping  qualities. 
Brandy ivine,  (B)  Bis- 
marck (P),  Roivell  (B), 
Tennessee^    Prolific    (B), 


R.  M.  Kellogg  &■  Co. 

Fig.  25.    Lady  Thompson  (B) 
Strawberry. 


(B)  Bisexual.     (P)  Pistillate.     See  page  19. 


The   Four    Ttjpes   of  Raspberries 


199 


Clyde  (B)  and  Enormous 
have  proved  satisfactory  with 
me  as  medium  ripeners. 

Eaverland  (P)  and  Gaudy 
(B)  are  probably  our  best 
very  late  varieties.  Haver - 
land  is  a  heavy  producer  of 
large,  long  berries,  but  has 
the  bad  habit  of  ripening 
above  while,  white  below. 

RASPBERRIES 

While    there     are    really 

_   ^,  ,  FiG.26.  Haverland(P)  Strawberry. 

four  types  of  the  raspberry, 

viz.,  the  American  Blackcap,  the  Native  Red,  European 
Red  and  the  Hybrids  between  the  black  and  the  red 
species  known  as  the  "Purple  Cane"  or  "Shaffer"  types, 
yet  the  most  important  classification  to  the  grower  is  the 
method  of  propagation.  If  classified  according  to  the 
manner  in  which  the  different  species  propagate,  they 
are  reduced  to  two  types,  viz.  (a)  Blackcap,  or  those 
which  perpetuate  themselves  by  layers  of  the  tips  of 
the  new  growth  or  stolons;  (b)  Redcap,  those  which 
propagate  from  root  sprouts. 

Our  common  dewberry  propagates  as  does  the  black- 
cap raspberry,  while  the  blackberry  propagates  like  redcap 
raspberries.  The  plants  for  setting  new  beds  of  the 
blackcap  type  are  obtained  by  layering  the  ends  or  tips 
of  the  new  canes,  to  induce  them  to  take  root.  This, 
however,  is  not  necessary  if  favorable  conditions  as  to 
soil,  shade  and  moisture  prevail. 


200         Southern    Gardener\s    Practical    Manual 

The  tips  often  flatten  as  they  reach  the  ground  and 
frequently  divide  into  four  to  six  prongs,  each  of  which 
pats  forth  roots  and  produces  a  new  plant.  These  are 
separated  from  the  parent  plant  and  transplanted  at 
any  time  from  November  to  the  first  of  March. 

The  redcap  type  puts  up  shoots  from  the  roots, 
which,  after  the  growth  of  one  season,  are  suitable  for 
transplanting. 

Planting.  —  As  this  is  done  while  the  plants  are 
dormant,  there  is  little  danger  of  loss  if  the  work  is 
properly  done.  In  no  case  should  the  rows  be  less  than 
four  feet  apart.  The  redcaps  may  be  planted  two  feet 
apart  in  the  drill,  but  those  of  the  blackcap  type  should 
not  be  nearer  than  three  feet  in  the  row.  As  required 
for  all  other  transplanting,  the  soil  should  be  firmly 
pressed  upon  the  roots  and  loose  soil  drawn  over  that 
thus  compacted. 

Pruning. — The  tops  of  the  young  canes  should  be  cut 
back  in  May  or  June  to  one  foot,  for  the  purpose  of 
encouraging  the  multiplication  of  branches  which  will 
bear  fruit  the  next  season.  The  winter  pruning  should 
be  done  in  November  and  December,  when  the  new 
canes  should  be  cut  back  to  within  three  feet  of  the 
main  stem,  to  encourage  the  production  of  vigorous 
bearing  shoots,  on  the  tips  of  which  the  next  crop  of 
fruit  will  be  borne.  All  of  the  old  canes  which  have 
borne  fruit  the  previous  year  should  be  removed.  If 
properly  pruned,  no  supports  will  be  necessary  for  the 
vines.  The  fruit  is  borne  on  the  canes  which  grew  the 
previous  season.  These  die  the  next  winter  and  should 
be  removed,  to  give  place  to  the  new  growth. 


Best    Varieties    of  Basj^herries  —  Currants       201 

Varieties, — Of  the  Blaclicap  type,  I  have  found  the 
following  most  sMtisfactory:  Gregg,  Palmer,  Doolittle, 
Ohio,  i^liaffer  and  Caroline. 

Of  the  Redcap  type,  Cifthhert,  Turner,  Golden  Qiieen, 
Brandywine  and  Hansell.  In  the  lower  half  of  the  cotton 
l)elt,  all  of  them  succeed  best  on  the  north  side  of  the 
garden  fence.  In  the  northern  half,  such  protection  is 
not  necessary.  Raspberry  cordial  is  an  excellent  astrin- 
gent, which  should  be  kept  by  every  family,  especially 
where  there  are  children. 

THE    CURRANT 

This  is  a  very  popular  fruit  in  some  of  our  northern 
stales  where  both  soil  and  climate  are  favorable  to  its 
growth.  It  is  a  native  of  Europe  and  the  northern  part 
of  North  America.  It  is  well  adapted  to  northern  ex- 
posures of  the  mountain  regions  of  the  southern  states, 
and  succeeds  well  in  the  Piedmont  region  on  clay  loam 
soils  on  northern  exposures  or  protected  bj-  buildings  or 
fences  in  the  home  garden.  I  have  grown  the  Red  Dutch 
quite  successfully  in  garden  culture  at  Clemson  College, 
South  Cai'olina. 

The  plant  is  hardwood,  shrubby  growth,  requiring 
little  ])runing  except  the  removal  of  old  canes  to  make 
way  for  vigorous  new  ones.  Clean,  shallow  cultivation 
l»y  means  of  which  a  soil  mulch  is  secured,  or  a  mulch  of 
woods-mold,  will  insure  good  results. 

Propagation  is  usually  done  by  cuttings  made  eight 
or  ten  inches  long  and  planted  in  November  in  an  in- 
clined position,  preferably  on  the  north  side  of  a  fence. 


202         Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Manual 

Varieties. —  The  old  Red  Dutch  is  still  popular. 
Cherry  and  Versailles  are  the  most  popular  and  most 
generally  cultivated  varieties.  Victoria  is  excellent  for 
general  culture  and  variety  of  uses. 

Wilder,  White  Grape  and  W^hite  Imperial  are  new 
and  desirable  varieties. 

The  early  varieties  follow  in  ripening  the  late  straw- 
berries and  raspberries,  and  the  later  varieties  continue 
the  season  until  grapes  are  ripe.  There  are  few  fruits  that 
are  used  in  a  greater  variety  of  ways  than  the  currant. 

The  principal  enemies  are  the  currant -worm  and  the 
currant -fly,  the  former  stripping  the  leaves  and  the 
latter  depositing  its  eggs  under  the  skin  of  the  fruit. 

BLACKBERRIES 

On  account  of  the  large  quantity  of  blackberries 
found  growing  wild  in  the  South,  this  important  berry 
has  not  yet  been  cultivated  to  a  great  extent.  Bushels 
of  fine  fruits  are  gathered  from  the  neglected  fields  and 
roadsides,  and  sold  in  the  local  markets  at  from  ten  to 
fifteen  cents  per  gallon. 

The  blackberry  does  well  on  almost  any  kind  of  soil, 
but  is  best  suited  to  a  deep,  sandy  loam.  The  fruit  is 
greatly  improved  by  cultivation,  and  enormous  crops 
will  be  produced  if  given  the  proper  care  and  attention. 

Propagation  and  Pruning. —  Numerous  suckers  spring 
up  from  the  roots  of  the  old  plants  during  the  spring 
and  summer.  These  suckers  will  be  well  rooted  by  fall 
and  ready  to  be  taken  up  and  planted  in  rows  eight  feet 
apart  and  four  feet  in  the  row.    The  suckers  that  sprout 


Blackberries   and    Oooseherries  203 

up  around  the  old  plants  in  the  spring  will  produce  fruit 
the  following  summer.  These  young  canes  should  be 
pruned  when  they  have  attained  a  height  of  eighteen 
inches,  so  as  to  make  them  branch  and  form  fruiting 
canes  for  the  next  year's  crop.  In  the  fall,  these  canes 
should  be  pruned  again  to  about  one -half  their  length. 
After  the  fruit  has  been  gathered,  the  old  canes 
should  be  cut  out  to  give  the  new  ones  more  room.  Care 
must  be  taken  that  too  many  suckers  are  not  allowed  to 
grow.  The  plants  should  be  cultivated  frequently  dur- 
ing the  summer  or  else  covered  with  a  good  mulch  of 
leaves  or  straw. 

GOOSEBERRIES 

The  gooseberry  is  not  cultivated  to  any  great  extent 
in  the  South,  on  account  of  the  liability  to  mildew, 
though  it  may  be  grown  successfully  in  the  mountain 
regions  or  on  northern  exposures  in  the  Piedmont  belt. 
It  requires  clay  or  clay -loam  soil.  It  is  propagated 
principally  by  layering,  as  it  cannot  be  easily  grown 
from  cuttings. 

The  American  varieties,  which  alone  are  worth  cul- 
tivating in  the  South,  may  be  grown  from  root  cuttings. 

The  fruit  is  usually  gathered  green,  to  be  used  in 
pies  or  for  canning.  The  ripe  fruit  is  very  pleasant  food. 
The  plants  live  many  years  if  properly  managed. 

Pruning  has  for  its  principal  objects  opening  the 
head  to  prevent  mildew  and  removing  old  canes  to  en- 
courage the  growth  of  new  ones. 

Varieties. — Downing  and  Houghton  are  the  best  va- 
rieties for  the  South. 


PART  IV 


SPRAY    CALENDAR    FOR    FRUITS 


Apple- 
Scab 

Leaf  spot 
Bitter  Rot 
Rust 

Codling-moth 
Canker-worm 
Tent- caterpillar 
Aphis  (Lice).— 

Woolly  Aphis. - 

Cherry — 

Black-knot 
Rust 

Shot-hole  Fun- 
gus 

Currants  and  Goose- 
berries— 
Mildew 
Leaf- spot 

Grapes— 

Black-rot 

Anthraenose 

Mildew 


Spray  just  before  buds  begin  to  swell  with 

Formula  L 
Second  application    should    be    made    soon 

after  the  petals  have  dropped   from  the 

flowers.     Use  Formula  X. 
Third  application  should  be  made  two  weeks 

later.     Use  Formula  X. 
Fourth  application  should   be  made    three 

weeks  after  second.     Use  Formula  X. 
If  the  weather  is  wet  and  the  scab  on  the 

increase,    spray   with    Formula    11    every 

three  weeks.     Destroy  all  fallen  fruit. 
Spray  with  Formula   VIII,   using  1  gallon  of 

stock  solution  to  8  gallons  of  water. 
-Remove  soil  from  roots  of  trees  and  apply  1 

to  2  pounds  of  tobacco  dust. 

Cut  out  all  diseased  parts  in  winter  and 
burn.  Spray  with  Formula  I,  just  before 
buds  begin  to  swell.  Spray  with  Formula 
III  as  soon  as  fruit  has  set,  and  repeat  ten 
days  later.  Repeat  Formula  III  after  fruit 
is  gathered. 

Spray  with  Formula  II,  before  buds  swell. 
Repeat  after  fruit  is  formed  and  again  after 
gathering. 

Spray  with  Formula  I  before  the  buds  begin 
to  swell  in  the  spring. 

Second  application  is  made  as  soon  as  the 
first  leaves  are  half  grown,  using  Formula 
II.  Repeat  Formula  II  when  the  fruit  has 
set,  and  again  two  weeks  later.  Spray 
again  just  before  frnit  begins  to  color. 
The  bunches  may  be  bagged  soon  after  the 
third  spraying,  to  protect  from  birds. 

(204) 


Spray    Calendar  for   Fruits 


205 


Peaches,  Plums  and 

Apricots  — 

Leaf- curl 
Rot 


Spray  with  Formula  II  before  the  buds 
begin  to  burst  in  the  spring. 

Spray  with  Formula  III  as  soon  as  the  flow- 
ers drop,  and  again  three  weeks  later. 
The  fourth  application  should  be  made 
just  before  the  fruit  begins  to  color.  Use 
Formula  III. 

Curculio. — The  curculio  may  be  caught  and  destroyed  by 
spreading  a  sheet  on  the  ground  and  jar- 
ring the  trees,  as  soon  as  the  fruit  is  well 
set.  Add  3  ounces  Paris  green  to  For- 
mula III,  when  second  and  third  applica- 
tion is  made. 


Pear — Blight. — Cut  out  and  burn.  Always  cut  at  least  twelve  inches 
below  blighted  parts.  Do  not  allow  trees 
to  grow  too  rapidly  after  the  third  year. 
If  they  are  growing  too  rapidly,  sow  the 
land  in  grass  or  grain. 

Codling-moth      \    g^^  ^     ,^ 

Canker-worm      /  ^^ 


Quince— Curculio. — See  Plum. 


i  Spray  with  Formula  II  when  the  young 
canes  are  12  to  14  inches  high ;  repeat 
ten  days  later.  Cut  out  all  the  old  canes 
after  crop  is  gathered  and  spray  with 
Formula  II. 


Raspberry  and  Black- 
berry— 
Rust 

Anthracnose 
Leaf- spot 

Rose — Mildew. — Spray  with  Formula  II  before  the  leaves  appear; 
repeat  when  the  buds  are  half  grown. 

Aphis. — Spray  with  Formula  VIII,  using  1  gallon  of  stock  solu- 
tion to  8  gallons  of  water. 

Strawberries— -Leaf-blight. — Spray  with  Formula  II  just  before  the 
blooming  season.  Spray  again  after  the 
gathering  season,  and  repeat  three  weeks 
later. 


San  Jose  Scale.— Spray  with  Formula  IX  when  the  trees  are 
dormant. 

Other  Scales. — Spray  with  Formula  VIII  when  trees  are  dormant. 
Use  1  gallon  of  stock  solution  to  4  gallons 
of  water. 


206        Southern    Gardener^ s   Practical   Mamial 


SPRAY   CALENDAR    FOR   VEGETABLES 

Asparagus— Rust. — Cut  and  burn  the  patch  in  the  fall,  or  as  soon 
as  the  rust  has  killed  the  greater  part  of 
the  stalks;  then  give  the  land  a  light 
dressing  of  lime.  Spray  thoroughly  several 
times  during  June  and  July  with  For- 
mula III. 

Beans— Striped  Beetle. — See  Melons. 

Cabbage  and  Cauliflower — Cabbage -worms. — Dust  with  Paris  green 
mixed  with  flour  or  lime,  while  the  dew 
is  on  the  plants.     Use  Formula  VI. 

Aphis  (Lice).— Spray  with  Formula  VIII,  using  1  gallon  of 
stock  solution  to  8  gallons  of  water. 

Harlequin  Bug. — Sow  an  occasional  row  of  radishes  or  kale  as 
a  trap  crop.  When  the  bugs  collect  on 
them,  spray  with  pure  kerosene. 

Celery — Leaf -blight. — Spray  with  Formula  II  before  transplanting. 

Repeat  application  every  two  weeks  until 

cool  weather. 

Caterpillar. — Dust  with  Paris  green  mixed  with  flour  or  lime,  as 

soon  as  insect  appears.    Use  Formula  VI. 

Eggplant— Potato  Beetle. — See  Potato. 

Melons. — Blight. — Spray  with  Formula  II  when  vines  begin  to  run. 
Repeat  application  every  twelve  to  fifteen 
days  until  crop  has  matured. 

Aphis  (Lice). — Spray  with  Formula  VIII  as  soon  as  lice 
appear.  Use  1  gallon  of  stock  solution 
to  8  gallons  of  water.  If  plants  are  badly 
infested,  destroy  them. 

Striped  Beetle. — Spray  with  Formula  X  as  soon  as  plants  are 
up.  Repeat  application  every  seven  days 
until  the  plants  are  well  established. 

Potato— Blight. — Spray  with  Formula  II  just  before  the  blooming 
period.  Repeat  application  two  weeks 
later. 
Scab.— Soak  seed  for  one  and  one-half  hours  in  corrosive  sub- 
limate, Formula  IV;  or  in  Formalin  Solu- 
tion for  two  hours,  Formula  V. 


Spray    Calendar  for    Vegetables  207 

Potato— Potato  Beetle. — Spray  with  Paris  green  and  lime  as  soon  as 
young  beetles  appear,  using  Formula  VII ; 
or  dust  with  Paris  green  and  lime,  using 
Formula  VI.     Repeat  when  necessary. 

Tomato— Potato  Beetle. — Treatment  same  as  for  potatoes. 

Tomato  Worm. — Spray  with  Formula  VII  as  soon  as  worms 
appear. 

Blight. — Spray  with  Formula  II  just  before  plants  begin  to 
bloom,  and  again  after  fruit  is  formed. 

Early  Vegetables— Cutworms.— Poisoned  bran  mash  scattered  over 
field  a  few  days  before  setting  out  the 
plants,  or  green  rye  or  barley  poisoned  by 
dipping  into  a  solution  of  Paris  green, 
Formula  VII,  and  scattered  over  the  land 
late  in  the  afternoon,  is  very  effective. 
Keep  land  free  from  all  foreign  vegetation. 


INSECTICIDES   AND   FUNGICIDES 

FORMULA   I. —  BORDEAUX   MIXTURE 
{Fungicide) 

Copper  sulphate  (Blue  Stone) 6  pounds 

Lump  lime 4  pounds 

Water 50  gallons 

Dissolve  the  copper  sulphate  in  hot  or  cold  water  in 
an  earthen  or  wooden  vessel.  Slake  the  lime  in  a  tub  or 
half  barrel,  adding  the  water  gradually  so  as  to  slake 
thoroughly.  When  the  lime  is  slaked,  dilute  both  copper 
and  lime  to  25  gallons  each.  The  two  solutions  are  now 
poured  into  a  barrel  at  the  same  time  and  thoroughly 
mixed.  The  mixture  should  be  strained  while  pouring 
into  spray  pump. 


208         Southern    Gardener^ s    Practical   Manual 

FORMULA   II. —  BORDEAUX   MIXTURE 
{Fungicide) 

Copper  sulphate  (Blue  Stone) 4  pounds 

Lump  lime 5  pounds 

Water 50  gallons 

Prepare  in  same  way  as  Formula  I. 

FORMULA   III. —  DILUTE    BORDEAUX   MIXTURE 
{Fungicide) 

Copper  sulphate  (Blue  Stone) 2  pounds 

Lump  lime 4  pounds 

Water 50  gallons 

Prepare  in  same  way  as  Formula  I. 

FORMULA   IV.— CORROSIVE    SUBLIMATE 
{For  Potato  Scab) 

Corrosive  sublimate 2  ounces 

Water 15  gallons 

Dissolve  the  corrosive  sublimate  in  two  gallons  of 
hot  water,  then  add  balance  of  water.  Allow  solution  to 
stand  four  or  five  hours,  stirring  occasionally.  Place 
the  seed  potatoes  in  a  coarse  sack  and  immerse  in  solu- 
tion for  one  and  one -half  hours.  Corrosive  sublimate 
is  very  poisonous,  and  care  should  be  taken  in  hand- 
ling it. 

FORMULA   v.— FORMALIN 
[For  Potato  Scab) 

Water 15  gallons 

Formalin  (40  per  cent  solution) 8  ounces 

Allow  seed  potatoes  to  stand  in  this  solution  for  two 
hours.    Spread  out  and  allow  to  dry  before  planting. 


Insecticides   and   Fungicides  209 

FORMULA    VI. —  PARIS   GREEN:    DRY 
(Poisonous  Insecticide) 

Paris  green •    •    /^  pound 

Flour  or  lime 20  pounds 

Mix  thoroughly,  and  dust  lightly  on  plants  when  dew 
is  on  the  leaves. 


FORMULA   Vn.— PARIS   GREEN:    WET 
{Poisonous  Insecticide) 

Paris  green %  pound 

Quicklime 4  pounds 

Water 50  gallons 

Slake  the  lime  in  a  small  quantity  of  water,  sprinkling 
in  the  Paris  green  gradually,  then  add  the  balance  of 
the  water.  For  peaches  and  plums,  use  only  3  ounces 
of  Paris  green. 

FORMULA    VIII. —  KEROSENE    EMULSION 
[Contact  Insecticide) 

Hard  soap,  shaved  fine %  pound 

Water I  gallon 

Kerosene  oil 2  gallons 

Dissolve  the  soap  in  boiling  water;  i-emove  from  fire 
and  pour  in  the  kerosene  while  hot;  churn  this  for  ten 
minutes,  during  which  time  it  should  change  to  a  creamj^ 
white  mass.  Keep  this  as  a  stock  solution,  using  one 
part  to  eight  parts  of  water  for  plant -lice.  For  scale 
insects,  use  one  part  of  stock  solution  to  four  parts  of 
water.  This  should  be  applied  when  the  trees  are  in  a 
dormant  condition. 

N 


210         Southern    Gardener^s   Practical   Manual 

FORMULA   IX.— LIME,  SALT   AND    SULPHUR 

New  Jersey  Bulletin,  No.  162 

{Contact  Insecticide) 

Stone  lime 50  pounds 

Flowers  of  sulphur 50  pounds 

Stock  salt 50  pounds 

Water 150  gallons 

Slake  the  lime  with  hot  water,  enough  to  do  it  thor- 
oughly; add  the  sulphur,  stir  well,  and  boil  for  at  least 
an  hour,  adding  water  as  necessarJ^  Then  add  the  salt, 
boil  at  least  fifteen  minutes  more,  and  dilute  to  make 
150  gallons.  In  boiling,  use  no  more  water  than 
necessary  to  make  a  fluid  mass.  Strain  through  burlap, 
and  apply  hot. 

FORMULA   X.— A    COMBINED    INSECTICIDE    AND    FUNGICIDE 

Paris  green 3^  pound 

Lump  lime 5  pounds 

Copper  sulphate 4  pounds 

Water 50  gallons 

Prepare  as  for  Formula  I;  then  make  a  thin  paste  of 
the  Paris  green,  and  add  to  the  solution  and  stir  well. 

SPRAY   PUMPS 

Spraying  has  become  a  necessity  in  both  the  garden 
and  the  orchard.  The  question  is  not,  "Can  I  afford  to 
spray?"  but  "Can  I  afford  riot  to  spray?"  It  is  not  my 
intention  to  discuss  the  various  kinds  of  spraying 
machinery,  but  to  call  attention  to  the  pumps  best  suited 
to  garden  and  orchard.  There  are  many  kinds  of  pumps 
advertised  for  spraying  fruits  and  vegetables,  and  it  is  a 


The    Best    Two    Spraying    Outfits 


211 


hard  matter  for  the  amateur  to 
tell  just  what  kind  of  spraying 
outfit  to  buy. 

THE     "knapsack    PUMP" 

For  garden  work  on  a  small 
scale  where  one  does  not  care  to 
spray  anything  taller  than  six  feet, 
the  knapsack  pump  is  more  satis- 
factory than  any  other  small  pump 
I  have  ever  used.  This  is  fastened  to  the  back  by  means 
of  leather  straps  (Fig.  28)  and  is  very  handy  for  spray- 
ing potatoes,  roses,  grapes,  etc.,  but  will  not  do  for 
large  fruit  trees. 

The  ordinary  bucket  pump  is  very  unsatisfactory. 


Fig.  27. 


Goulds  Mfg.  Co. 

Knapsack  pump. 


Fig.  28.     Spraying  with  a  knapsack  sprayer. 
Bulletin  126,  New  York  Experiment  Station. 


212 


Southern    Gardener^s    Practical   Manual 


THE     BARREL    PUMP 


For  spraying  fruit  trees,  it  is  necessary  to  have  a 
good  barrel  pump.  Tliis  may  be  mounted  on  wheels  and 
drawn  by  hand  or  placed  on  a  one-horse  wagon  (Fig.  29) ; 


the  latter  plan  is  the  most  satisfactory.  By  using  a  long 
section  of  hose,  the  barrel  pump  will  be  found  even  more 
satisfactory  for  garden  work  than  th©'  knapsack.  TOe 
cost  of  the  barrel  pump  is  very  little  more  than  that  of 
the  knapsack,  and  when  one  tal#«  into  consideration 
the  fact  that  ten  times  more  work  can  be  done  with  the 
barrel  pump  in  one  day  than  could  be  done  with  the 
knapsack,  the  purchase  price  cannot  be  considered. 


Things    Necessanj    to    (t    lUnrd    I'mn/i  iM") 

The  followint^  equipment  is  necessary  for  tli()r(>u«,^li 
work  with  a  barrel  pump: 
One  barrel  pump. 

Two  25-foot  sections  of  i-inch  hose. 
Two  5 -foot  extension  rods. 
One  strainer. 

One  double  discharge  Vermorel  nozzle. 
One  brass  stop -cock. 


A    SELECT    LIST   OF   VEGETABLES   FOR   THE   HOME 
GARDEN 

Below  is  given  a  select  list  of  varieties  of  vegetables 
for  a  home  garden  and  the  amount  of  seed  necessary  to 
produce  an  abundant  supply  of  vegetables  for  a  family 
of  six: 

Name  of  Vegetable  Varieties  Amount  of  Seed 

Asparagus Columbian  White X  ounce 

Beans Extra-Early  Refugee  (green  pods).  1  pint 

Beans Early  Valentine  (green  pods)     .   .  1  quart 

Beans  (Wax)    ....  Valentine  Wax  (yellow  pods)     .   .  1  pint 

Beans  (Bush  Lima)    .  Wood's  Bush  Lima 1  pint 

Beans  (Pole  Lima)  .   .  Challenger,  Pole  Lima 1  pint 

Beans  (Pole)     ....  Southern  Creasebaek 1  pint 

Beets Bassano  (Early) 1  ounce 

Beets Crimson  Globe 1  ounce 

Broccoli Purple  Cape 1  packet 

Brussels  Sprouts     .   .  Improved  Half  Dwarf I  packet 

Cauliflower Extra -Early  Snowball 1  packet 

Cabbage Charleston  Wakefield  (Early)    .    .  1  packet 

Cabbage Succession  (Mid -season)      ....  1  packet 

Carrots Half-Long  Stump-rooted    ....  X  ounce 

Celery Thorburn  Fin  de  Siecle 1  packet 

Celery Giant  Pascal 1  packet 

Corn  (Sugar)    ....  Country  Gentleman 1  quart 

Corn  (Sugar)     ....  Stowell's  Evergreen 1  quart 

Collards  ......  Georgia 1  packet 

Corn  Salad Large-seeded 1  ounce 

Cress Curled  Cress 1  ounce 

Cucumber Improved  White  Spine %  ounce 

(214) 


Vegeiahles  for   the   Home    Garden  215 

Name  of  Vegetable  Varieties  Amount  of  Seed 

Endive Green  Curled %  ounce 

Eggplant New  York  Purple 1  packet 

Kale Curled  Emerald  Isle 1  ounce 

Kohlrabi Early  White  Vienna /i  ounce 

Leek Large  Flag 1  packet 

Lettuce Big  Boston  (Early) 1  packet 

Lettuce Giant  Crystal  Head  (Late)  ....  1  packet 

Mustard      Giant  Southern  Curled 3^  ounce 

Muskmelon Netted  Gem  (Rocky  Ford)    ....  X  ounce 

Muskmelon Champion  Market %  ounce 

Watermelon Florida  Favorite %  ounce 

Watermelon Georgia  Rattlesnake %  ounce 

Okra Long  White  Velvet 1  ounce 

Onion Yellow  Globe  Danvers 1  ounce 

Onion Prizetaker 1  ounce 

Onion  Sets Yellow  Globe  Danvers 1  quart 

Peas,  Garden     ....  McLean's  Advancer  (Early)    ...  1  pint 
Peas,  Garden     ....  Champion  of  England  (Medium)   .  1  pint 

Peas,  Garden     ....  Telephone  (Late) 1  pint 

Pepper Large  Bell 1  packet 

Pepper Long  Red  Cayenne 1  packet 

Parsley Moss  Curled 1  packet 

Parsnip Hollow  Crown X  ounce 

Potato,  Irish Irish  Cobbler 1  peck 

Potato,  Irish Bliss'  Triumph X  hushel 

Radish Early  Scarlet  White-tipped    .    .    .  Yz  ounce 

Radish Early  Crimson  Giant X  ounce 

Radish Olive -shaped  French  Breakfast     .  X  ounce 

Rhubarb Crimson  Winter X  ounce 

Salsify Mammoth  Sandwich  Island     ...  X  pound 

Spinach Long-standing X  pound 

Squash Long  Island  White  Bush     ....  X  ounce 

Squash Giant  Summer  Crookneck   ....  X  ounce 

Tomato Stone X  ounce 

Turnip Early  Milan  Purple  Top X  ounce 

Turnip Yellow  Aberdeen 1  ounce 


INDEX 


Page 

Alfalfa 8 

Ammonia 27 

Apples 204 

Artichokes 39 

Artichokes,  The  Jerusalem 41 

Asparagus 42,  20G 

Asparagus  Rust 46 

Bacteria 2,  8,  12 

Bailey 49,  59 

Barnett,  Samuel 134 

Barrel  pump 212 

Beans  47,  206 

Beans,  Lima 52 

Beets 52 

Birds   188 

Bisexual 17 

Blackberries 202,  205 

Bordeaux  mixture  ....190,  207,  208 

Broccoli 57 

Brussels  Sprouts 58 

Bud-worm 82 

Bulb 113,  117 

Bulblets 113 

Cabbage 24,  58,  206 

Cabbage-worms 67,  68 

Calcium 7 

Carbon 7 

Carbonic  acid 3,  11,  12 

Carrots 72 

Cauliflower 69,  206 

Celeriac 79 


Page 

Celery 73,  206 

Celery,  Blanching 76,  77 

Celery,  Handling 77 

Celery,  Transplanting 75,  76 

Cherry 204 

Chlorine  7 

Clover  8 

Coldf raraes 28,  29,  30,  31 

Compost 27,  106 

Corn 24,  79 

Corn  Salad 84 

Corn-worm   (cotton-boll   worm) 

82,  168 

Corrosive  sublimate 208 

Cow-peas 84 

Cress   85 

Crosses  and  Hybrids 20 

Cross  pollination 163 

Cucumber 86 

Cucumber  beetle 89 

Currants 201 ,  204 

Cutworms .25,  66,  166,  167 

Drag 33 

Drill-marker 34 

Eggplant 89,  206 

Endive 92 

EndogeuK 14 

Exogens   14 

Fertilizer.. 6,  8,  28,  44,  72,  131,  141, 
160 


(217) 


218 


Index 


Page 

Figs   ..191 

Figs,  Varieties '.' 192 

Formalin 208 

Forwarding  early  vegetables...  28 

Garden  tools  and  implements  . .  32 

Garlic 93 

Gooseberries 203,  204 

Grapes,  Bagging 188 

Grapes,  Varieties 182,  183,  184 

Grapes 175 

Grapes,  Cuttings 177 

Grapes,  Fertilizing 178 

Grapes,  Pruning.  .180, 181,  182, 183 
Gregory 64 

Harlequin  bug 67,  94 

Harrow 33 

Hoe,  The  Warren 36 

Hoe,  The  Potato 36 

Horse-radish 93 

Hotbeds 28 

Hydrogen 7 

Insects,  Friends  and  Enemies..  38 

Insecticides  and  Fungicides 207 

Intensive  gardening 25 

Iron 7 

Irrigation 26 

Jooes,  Reuben 108 

Kainit 9 

Kale 94 

Kale,  Sea 161 

Kerosene  emulsion 209 

Knapsack  pump 211 

Kohlrabi 94 

Landreth  &  Sons 136,  137 

Leeks 95 


Page 

Legumes 7,  8,  23 

Lemon,  Dr 137 

Lettuce 30,  95 

Lichens 2 

Lime 132,  210 

Lockhart,  Ben 3 

Magnesium 7 

Manganese 7 

Mangel-wurzel 53 

Manures 27 

Manures,  Fresh 131 

McDowell,  Mrs.  E.  F 152 

Mclver 107 

Melons 206 

Mulching 132 

Mushroom   110 

Muskmelon 98 

Mustard 110 

Naphtha  balls 125 

Nasturtium Ill 

New  York  Experiment  Station.   11 

Nitrate  of  Soda 8 

Nitrogen 8,  11,  12 

Nitrogen,  Sources  of 8 

Okra Ill 

Onion 113 

Onion  sets 116 

Onion  multipliers 114,  119 

Onion,  Top 114,  119,  120 

Onion,  Potato 114 

Oxygen 3,  7 

Paris  Green 116,  209 

Parsley 120 

Parsnips 120 

Pear 205 

Peas 122,  178 

Pepper 128 


Index 


219 


Page 

Phosphorus 7,  8 

Phosphoric  acid 11 

Phosphoric  acid,  Sources  of  . . .     9 

Pickett,  J.  S 152 

Pistil 18 

Plants 13 

Plants,  Annuals 14 

Plants,  Biennials 14 

Plants,  Perennials 14 

Plants,  Perennial-rooted 15 

Plants,  Dioecious  20,  46 

Plants,  Monoecious 18 

Plants,    Elementary     Composi- 
tion of,  and  their  sources  of 

supplies 6 

Plants,  Duration  of  Life  of 14 

Plant-food 10,  11 

Plants,  General  Classification  of  14 
Plants,    How    they    feed,    grow 

and  reproduce 15 

Plants,  Leguminous   8,23 

Plant-lice 89 

Plants,  Sexuality  of 17 

Piatt,  N.  A 9 

Potash 11,  12 

Potash,  Muriate  of 10 

Potash,  Sulphate  of 10 

Potash,  Sources  of 9 

Potassium 7,  8 

Potato   206 

Potatoes,  Irish 24,  129 

Potatoes,  Sweet 140 

Potatoes,  Sweet,  Storing  .  .148,  149 

Potatoes,  Sweet,  Bedding 141 

Potatoes,  Sweet,  Harvesting, .  .147 
Potatoes,   Sweet,   New   method 

of  evaporating 150 

Potato-beetle 92 

Potato-scab 131 

Pumpkin 155 

Push-plow 34,  35 


Pago 
Quince 205 

Radish 157 

Rain-water 2 

Rake,  The  Garden 36,  37 

Rape 157 

Raspberries 199,  205 

Raspberries,  Pruning 200 

Rotation  of  Crops  22 

Rhubarb,  or  Pie-plant 158 

Roots 16 

Root-hairs 16 

Rose 205 

Rutabaga 173 

Ryals 135 

Salsify,  or  Oyster  Plant 159 

Salt 210 

Scale,  San  Jos4   205 

South      Carolina      Experiment 

Station 150,  177,  184,  191 

Scuppernong  (Rotundifolia)  ... 

184,  185,  188 

Scuppernong  Varieties  187 

Seed-drill 36 

Select  List  of  Seeds  ..213,  214,  215 

Shallot-top 120 

Silicon 7 

Small  Fruits  175 

Sodium 7 

Soil 1,  6 

Soil,  Alluvium 4 

Soil,  Clayey 4 

Soil,  Clay  loam 5,  12 

Soil,  Drift   4 

Soil,  ISandy 5 

Soil,  Sandy  loam 5,  12 

Soil,  Sedentary 3 

Soil,  Transported   2 

Soil,     Agricultural     Classifica- 
tion of 3 


220 


Index 


Page 
Soil  analysis 11 

Soil,  General  Classification  of. .     4 

Soil  mulch 37,  38 

Soil,  Relation  to  plants 10 

Spinach IGl 

Spray  calendar  for  fruits 204 

Spray  calendar  for  vegetables.  .206 

Spray,  How  to 190 

Spraying 189 

Spray  pump 130,  210 

Squash 162 

Stamens   18 

Stomata 16 

Straight  rows 34 

Strawberry 193,  205 


Page 

Strawberry,  Varieties 197,  198 

Sulphur 7,  210 

Tomato 162,  207 

Trellis     18B 

Tubers 131 

Turnips 170 

Turn-plow 32 

Under-drainage 26 

Van  Slyke 11 

Vegetables,  Species  and  Varie- 
ties of 39 

Vetch 8 

Watermelon 105 


